Bengaluru: Indian equestrian Fouaad Mirza will compete with Dajara 4 at the Tokyo Olympics, the 29-year-old announced. Mirza had the option of riding either Dajara 4 or Seigneur Medicott.
Despite the fact that Seigneur Medicott had more experience than Dajara 4, Mirza chose the latter because the former had been recovering from an injury. He is also the third Indian equestrian, after Indrajit Lamba and Imtiaz Anees, to qualify for the Olympics in Eventing.
“…the horse I have selected to represent India in Tokyo would be Dajara 4 and we are preparing well and we are keen to give a good performance out there in Tokyo,” Mirza said at a virtual press conference on Thursday. “We are on the route of creating history and she is a horse that is going to help us get there and I am looking forward to participate in the Games with her,” he added.
Mirza admitted that choosing Dajara 4 over experienced Seigneur Medicott, was a difficult decision. He had ended India’s 36-year medal drought at the Asian Games by winning silver astride Medicott in Jakarta in 2018.
“She (Dajara 4) is a very nice and pretty horse and I am sure, she will bring this sport enough attention and hopefully encourage the younger generation to take up the sport,” Mirza stated. He further stated, “Look, it was a very, very difficult decision, I must say. Both horses are very good horses and I am very lucky to have them both.”
“So, at the Olympics, we have two rounds of show-jumping after cross-country, this is probably Medicott’s weaker link and so, that was basically the main reason why we decided to take Dajara 4 over Seigneur Medicott.”
“But I must say, it was very difficult and at this moment, still is…Dajara is definitely now the right horse, so we go out there and give out a very good performance,” he elaborated.
The Arjuna awardee also stated that they would prepare in the same manner as they would for any other show. “Dajara competed last weekend in the Nation’s Cup in Poland, where she finished second. She is going to have a week off now, just to recover from that competition and then we are going to pick her up gradually and not change too much,” Mirza added.
“What would be slightly different is that both horses would go into quarantine on the 11th of July, that is at a different location, that is at Aachen in Germany… but over there we are allowed to use all the facilities as you would at home, so there are no restrictions on training times or where and how you can train,” he explained.
Mirza earned a spot in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics by finishing first in South East Asia, Oceania group. The Tokyo Olympics will take place from July 23 to August 8. Mirza further expressed his gratitude towards the ‘Embassy Group’, which had helped him achieve his dream.
“I would like to thank the Embassy Group and Jitu Virwani for sponsoring me and helping me achieve this dream, my parents, my coaches and most of all the horses that have been given to me by the Embassy Group,” he signed off.
At the 2018 Asian Games, Mirza won silver medals in both individual eventing and team eventing. He became the first Indian since 1982 to win a medal in an individual event in the sport in the competition.
