It was the most shocking moment of the jumping individual final in Paris, if not the Games—and for Henrik von Eckermann, “the worst thing that has happened to me.”

The world no. 1 ranked rider and his incomparable mount King Edward were favorites to not only podium but to win at the Paris Olympics.

After all, it’s familiar territory for the reigning World and World Cup champions. They’ve proven their mettle in high pressure moments time and again.

But in Paris, jumping for a medal in the individual final, the wheels came off.

Landing from the open water at fence six, von Eckermann appeared to change his mind at the last minute, fighting to add a stride before the Eiffel Tower vertical. The pair scrambled over it, chased the five strides to the oxer at fence eight and then miscommunicated on landing.

The pair landed right, swerved left and then ran into the timers on the side of the arena. Von Eckermann was pitched over his horse’s head and a bridle-less King Edward trotted off to the in-gate.

BBC commentator Andy Austin called it the ‘most extraordinary thing’ he had ever seen.

“This is unbelievably strange and bad riding from Henrik von Eckermann,” said his co-commentator Nick Luck. “What is he doing? What is going on? I have never seen anything like this in my life. This is the world No.1, completely messed up his ride.”

A stunned von Eckermann climbed to his feet and went to collect his horse, kissing him on muzzle before they left the arena. Both horse and rider were unharmed.

In an interview after, the Swede was asked if he was in shock.

“No,” replied von Eckermann. “I just feel shame that I have the horse I have and I’m not successful.”

It was a crushing blow for a pair that has an untouchable 69% clear round rate over 89 career rounds at 1.60m+ (Jumpr) and started the course in excellent form.

“Everything felt really well,” he said. “Out of the first double [fence five], he really kicked off the ground and I felt ‘Wow’.

“I just kept myself calm but got a little bit close to the water, got a high jump on that. I didn’t see the six [strides] because I landed a little bit steep on the water so I really had to get him back for the seven and that made a short jump over the Paris jump.

“Then I had to really go for the five [strides] and 99% [of the time] we always go right.

“And somehow, in one second, he went a little bit left [on the landing], then I lost my balance to the right. I think, he got a little bit upset from that; he felt that I was not really in balance. And he went a little bit left again and I really tried to get him right but then this thing, the start stand, was there and I couldn’t turn him in front of that.”

And with that, so ended their Olympic dream.

Von Eckermann is not the first champion to make a grave misjudgment at an Olympic Games. At the Rio 2016 Games, former world no 1 Meredith Michaels Beerbaum crashed at the first fence in the individual final. That’s cold comfort for the moment, though.

In an interview with the Swedish media, a tearful von Eckermann, said, “I have never experienced anything like this.

“I have broken a leg but in terms of results, at this point, it is the worst thing that has happened to me. I just want to go home to my son and family.”

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