By Daniel Nhakaniso
Zimbabwe’s equestrian rider Terry Angelos, 16, said finishing 11th in the individual jumping at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games was a result he could not be disappointed with, having arrived in Senegal with no world ranking.
Angelos finished on eight faults in 49.46 seconds on Cayenne 2000 Z, according to the official results.
Switzerland’s Mike Smits won gold with no faults in 37.81, ahead of Liza Tittle of the United States (38.51) and Colombia’s Alejandro Gutierrez Alcocer (38.72), who also had clear rounds.
Algeria’s Younes Ferradj was fifth and South Africa’s Bo Reed eighth, both ahead of Angelos.
He said afterwards that he could have ridden it better, but that making it there was an achievement in itself.
“It was actually a surreal feeling making it into the jump-off. It was the best of the best, so to get a spot like that was so amazing,” Angelos said in an interview with the Zimbabwe Olympic Committee. “I could’ve ridden the jump-off better to try and get a better position, but to be honest, I’m so happy with where I am now.”
“Thinking that I’m 11th in the world is a big thing to me, as I came here not having any ranking, so 11th in the world is really amazing. And not being on the podium is not such a big issue, because just to come on this experience has been absolutely amazing.”
Angelos had no world ranking going into the Games. He earned the final intercontinental quota place by finishing 20th worldwide in category A of the 2025 FEI World Jumping Challenge, which is not a ranking, the Olympic Information Service reported.
Riders at the Games are paired with horses they meet only four days before competing. Angelos said before the event that adapting to an unfamiliar horse was the key.
“You can’t change the horse to suit you,” he told the Olympic Information Service. “You have to adapt your abilities to gel with the horse.”
Angelos, who returned to riding during the Covid-19 pandemic, is Zimbabwe’s 1.35m national show jumping champion and trains 12 times a week. He has taken lessons from Yara Hanssen, a team bronze medallist at the 2010 Youth Olympic Games.
He said before the Games that he wanted to show what Zimbabwe could do in the sport.
“Not many people think of Zimbabwe as a horse-riding country, so it’ll be nice to represent Zim and show everyone what we are made of,” he said.
Away from the arena, Angelos said meeting other young riders had been a highlight.
“Meeting new people that are the best of the game in their age group is such an amazing thing, to get to know them and have their contacts and become friends with them. It’s really, really nice.”
His coach, Ricky Johnstone, said the event showed Zimbabwean riders need more international competition.
“We need more competitions for our riders to stay in touch with the world,” Johnstone said. “I am happy Terry rode well against professionals and we need constant exposure.”
