Swiss rider wins Olympic equestrian gold

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LONDON, Aug. 8 (UPI) -- Steve Guerdat of Switzerland put together two flawless rides Wednesday to win the gold medal in equestrian's individual jumping.

It was Guerdat's second Olympic medal, having been a part of the Swiss squad that won the team jumping bronze four years ago.

There was a jumpoff for the silver medal, which Gerco Schroder of the Netherlands won over Ireland's Cian O'Connor.

Schroder went first and had a clean ride. O'Connor hit the last fence for four penalties. Both had received one time penalty during the two rides Wednesday that made up the finals of the event.

O'Connor finished first in individual jumping at the 2004 Olympics, but the gold medal was taken away after the Games when his horse was found to have been injected with a banned substance.

Britain's Nick Skelton would have been in a jumpoff for the gold medal had he turned in a clean final ride, but he hit a rail three jumps from the finish and wound up fifth.

Skelton had been trying for Britain's third equestrian gold of the Olympics.

With only the individual dressage remaining on the program, both Germany and Britain have two gold medals in the five equestrian events completed.