Olympics-Equestrian-Germany's Jung claims second straight eventing gold
(Adds quote, details) By Caroline Stauffer RIO DE JANEIRO, Aug 9 (Reuters) - Germany's Michael Jung claimed his second consecutive individual eventing gold medal on Tuesday as the only rider to escape cross country and jumping penalties in a near flawless performance on Sam, the same horse he won with in London. France's Astier Nicolas, 27, took silver with one rail down in the final nine-obstacle jump-off, though he celebrated a team gold medal for France. Phillip Dutton, 52, of the United States won bronze in his sixth Olympics, becoming the oldest U.S. Olympic medalist in an individual event since 1908. Eventing, the first of three equestrian sports in the Olympics, tests riders on dressage, an outdoor cross country course and finally show jumping. Jung, widely considered the best eventing rider ever, only turned to Sam, a 16-year-old German Sport Horse, a week before the animals were due to fly to Rio. His first and younger choice, Takinou, had suffered an infection. "He's so strong in the cross country he can run every hill and he can jump every fence," Jung said of Sam. "We have a very special partnership in the show jumping," he added, explaining Sam can be nervous and requires a confident ride. Australia's Christopher Burton, who was in first place after cross country on Monday, knocked rails down in both jumping rounds, allowing Dutton, who was in fifth, to win a medal. In 1996 and 2000 Dutton won team gold representing Australia. In 2012 Jung became the first eventing rider to hold the Olympic, European championship and world championship titles at the same time. In May, he became the first German to win the Badminton Horse Trials in England. (Reporting by Caroline Stauffer; editing by Ken Ferris and Meredith Mazzilli)