German Olympic show-jumper Christian Kukuk omitted from Aachen World Championships team

Olympic gold‑medallist Christian Kukuk, who won individual show‑jumping for Germany at the Paris 2024 Games, was unexpectedly left out of the German squad for the World Championships in Aachen this August. Kukuk, who is currently competing in Italy, said he was "completely surprised" and received no explanation after being informed by national team coach Otto Becker.

The eight‑person German team is headed by European champion Richard Vogel, with André Thieme, Sophie Hinners, Daniel Deußer and reserve Marcus Ehning also selected. Kukuk remains the second reserve. Becker described the decision as "hard and difficult" but declined to comment on individual pairings, noting that six strong combinations had to be ranked by the selection committee.