Tokyo Olympics: Jessica Springsteen takes silver on Olympic debut

Image source, Getty Images

Image caption, Jessica Springsteen is competing at her first Olympics

Her father Bruce famously sang Born to Run, but for Jessica Springsteen, she was born to jump.

The 29-year-old was an alternate for the USA's equestrian team in London and missed out on selection for Rio 2016, but she made the squad for Tokyo and will be going home with a silver medal.

It wasn't quite the Glory Days of a gold but it wasn't far off.

Making her Olympic debut on 12-year-old stallion Don Juan van de Donkhoeve, Springsteen failed to make the individual jumping final but reached Saturday's showjumping team final alongside 2008 team gold medallists Laura Kraut on Baloutinue and McLain Ward on Contagious.

As dusk fell in Tokyo, Springsteen and Don Juan van de Donkhoeve faced Sweden in a six-horse jump-off for the gold.

Springsteen jumped a clear round in the fight for the top spot - as did every rider in the jump-off - but Sweden edged the thrilling finale, finishing 1.3 seconds faster.

It was a second successive Olympic silver medal in the event for the United States, who will have a Hungry Heart when it comes to going for gold in Paris in three years' time.