The Château de Versailles is dazzling in all its glory for the Paris Olympics, ready to welcome horses, riders, and equestrian lovers. Among the crowd, the spotlight is on billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates’ family. His daughter, Jennifer Gates, is a skilled showjumper, but this time the whole family is here to cheer on Jen’s husband, Nayel Nassar, the Egyptian showjumping star. Nayel and his prized gelding Coronado were set to steal the show, representing Egypt in the equestrian jumping events on August 1 with the Jumping Team Qualifier event. But in a twist of fate, Nayel’s dream of snagging his first Olympic gold came to an unexpected end at the Paris Olympics.

In a heartfelt note on August 3, Nayel Nassar shared a touching two-picture carousel post on Instagram with his 15-year-old gelding, Coronado, and broke the devastating news. Nassar revealed that despite Coronado successfully passing the first veterinary inspection earlier in the week, the horse sustained a minor injury afterward. “It is with a heavy heart that I announce our withdrawal from the 2024 Olympic Games,” he wrote. After thorough discussions with his veterinary team and the Egyptian Federation, they agreed that prioritizing Coronado’s long-term health was the only way forward.

In a twist of Olympic rules, no substitutions are allowed once the first horse inspection is completed, leaving Nassar with no choice but to withdraw entirely. The decision was gutting, but Nassar emphasized the importance of horse welfare. “Our ultimate goal is to ensure that Coronado can return to peak form,” he explained, even if it meant sacrificing the dream of Olympic glory in the short term.

Nassar took a moment to thank the Egyptian Federation, his sponsors, family, friends, and everyone who supported him. Their unwavering encouragement and belief had been incredible, and he expressed his immense gratitude. While the setback was tough, Nassar remains “hopeful and committed to returning stronger and more determined than ever.”

He wished his colleagues the best of luck in the remaining competitions at the legendary venue, ending his post with a heartfelt message and a broken heart emoji: “Sincerely, NN 💔.” Horse welfare remains Nassar’s utmost priority, and he takes solace in knowing they are making the best decision for Coronado’s well-being.

Jennifer Gates, his ever-supportive wife and fellow equestrian athlete, applauded the difficult decision and commented on his post, “Gutted. The hardest but the right decision.❤️” Reflecting on this, let’s dive into the journey of Nayel and his incredible horse, Coronado, and see how the whole family was set to cheer on his mission.

Nayel Nassar and Coronado had the entire Gates family’s support as they pursued their Paris Olympics mission!

Nayel Nassar’s got quite the international equestrian backstory. Born in Chicago, raised in Kuwait, and now riding for Egypt, Nassar’s currently sitting pretty at 26th in the Longines worldwide rankings. Back in August 2021, Nassar made it to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics Final with a flawless run on his top horse, Igor Van De Wittemoere, at Equestrian Park. He rode for Egypt in the Individual Equestrian Jumping finals, landing in 24th place with no Olympic medal. Meanwhile, Coronado, a handsome grey gelding born in 2009, is a HOLST breed horse standing at a stately 1.65 meters. Sired by Cassini I and out of dam Coriana 10, this horse has some serious pedigree. Coronado’s been hitting all the right jumps in his career too!

In 2022, he tackled the 1.65-meter jump with Nayel Nassar, and in 2021, he soared over the 1.60-meter jump with Francisco Pasquel from Mexico. Just this year, he rocked the 1.45-meter jump with Nassar again. Now, at 33, Nassar and Coronado had the hopes of many riding on them for the Paris Olympics.

On July 29, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates was spotted soaking in the excitement of the 2024 Paris Olympics, rubbing shoulders with a galaxy of A-list celebrities like Tom Cruise, Mick Jagger, Lady Gaga, Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, John Legend, Pharrell Williams, and Celine Dion. Gates was particularly enthralled by Simone Biles and Team USA at the artistic gymnastics competitions, as reported by PEOPLE. But his main mission? Cheering on his son-in-law, Nayel Nassar. Melinda Gates, Jennifer’s mom, also chimed in with her support on social media, posting a photo of Nassar on Instagram with the caption: “So excited to watch you compete at the Olympics, @nayelnassar! I’m rooting for you.”

Jennifer Gates, fresh off completing her first month of medical residency and announcing her second pregnancy, was taking a well-deserved break to cheer on her husband and shared an image from the Chateau de Versailles on Instagram. Despite Nayel Nassar’s recent setback, his staunch dedication to his equine partner highlights his deep passion for both the sport and its star athletes. Rest assured, this is far from the end of his journey. We can’t wait to see him back in action at LA 2028. What do you think about his decision? Share your thoughts in the comments below!