Countdown to the XXXIII Olympiad, Paris
Laura Collet (GBR) with London 52 on the FEI Eventing World Championships 2022 © FEI/Christophe Taniére.
The 2024 Paris Olympic Video games will host equestrian sports activities 27 July via 6 August on the iconic Palace of Versailles. For athletes within the Olympic disciplines of Dressage, Eventing, and Leaping, the largest goal on the street to Paris stays qualification. Some key nations — together with host nation France — have secured their quota locations, with these Nationwide Federations targeted on workforce appointment. Others, in the meantime, are set on fielding their finest groups for remaining occasions with qualification alternatives.
Dressage
Together with the host nation, seven nations have certified for Dressage competitors in Paris, accounting for twenty-four of 45 obtainable workforce quota locations (3 athletes per workforce). This group consists of all three medalists from Tokyo 2020 (JPN). Defending champions Germany, the USA, and Nice Britain all earned their locations from their outcomes on the 2022 FEI World Championships in Herning (DEN) — as did Denmark, Sweden, The Netherlands, and Australia.
All eyes shall be on Germany on the street to Paris, as not solely did they high the workforce competitors within the final Olympics, however its athletes Jessica von Bredow-Werndl and Isabell Werth additionally claimed the person gold and silver medals, respectively. Bredow-Werndl stays on the high of her sport and sits atop the FEI Dressage World Rankings together with her associate from Tokyo, TSF Dalera BB.
Twenty-one workforce quota locations (accounting for seven groups) stay, a lot of which shall be determined on the 12 months’s continental and regional championships. Most notable would be the 2023 FEI European Dressage Championship, set for Riesenbeck (GER), 4-10 September. Fifteen particular person quota locations are additionally obtainable, awarded to athletes from nations that haven’t already accepted a workforce quota place. After all, these athletes shall be a mixture of women and men, as equestrian sport stays the one Olympic occasion during which women and men compete as equals.
Eventing
Practically half of the workforce quotas locations have already been secured within the sport of Eventing. Germany is among the many first nations certified, which ought to present some pleasure. In any case, the nation produced Eventing’s first ever feminine particular person Olympic gold medalist in Julia Krajewski in Tokyo. Along with the host nation, the USA, New Zealand, Eire, Sweden, and Switzerland have additionally certified. These locations have been all earned on the FEI World Championships in Herning, the place the USA secured its first workforce medal at a World or Olympic Championship since 2004. The USA is the one nation from North, Central, or South America to have secured a workforce quota place.
Most notably, Tokyo’s silver medalists Australia have but to safe their place. They’ve remaining alternatives on the Group F and G FEI Designated Olympic Qualification Occasion at Millstreet (IRL), 01-04 June and the FEI Eventing European Championships 2023 in Haras du Pin (FRA) and through the 2023 FEI Eventing Nations Cup Collection.
The competitors for rating factors for the Particular person slots has began, and can proceed via the remainder of the 12 months.
Leaping
Leaping gives probably the most quota locations of all of the equestrian disciplines, with 75 up for grabs, together with 60 workforce athletes.
Sweden is undisputedly the workforce to observe on the street to Paris, having claimed workforce gold medals at each the Tokyo Olympic Video games and the FEI World Championships 2022. Safely certified, their concern shall be attempting to exchange Peder Fredricson’s unimaginable All In, who earned a most celebratory retirement in February. “Allan,” because the barefoot bay was affectionately referred to as, gained six championship medals in his profession. In Tokyo, he turned simply the second horse in historical past to leap your complete Olympic Video games with out having a single rail.
The Netherlands, Nice Britain, Eire, and Germany additionally secured their locations in Herning, whereas Belgium earned its spot on the FEI Leaping Nations Cup™ Remaining 2022 in Barcelona (ESP). Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates secured workforce quota locations at their Group F Designated Olympic Qualification Occasion, however 33 workforce quota locations stay.
The USA earned the silver medal in Tokyo, however they may depend on the 2023 Pan American Video games to qualify for Paris. Among the many powerhouses of the game, the U.S. gained back-to-back workforce gold medals on the 2004 and 2008 Video games and has medalled at seven of the final 10 Olympics, however the strain shall be on in Chile for them so as to add to that Olympic resume. If they don’t qualify on the Pan Ams, they’d have one final alternative on the Longines FEI Leaping Nations Cup™ Remaining 2023 In Barcelona.
The 2023 FEI European Championship in Milano (ITA), 29 August – 03 Sept. may also provide three workforce quotas for European nations from Group A and/or B. Fifteen further particular person quotas are additionally obtainable for athletes from nations that haven’t already accepted a workforce quota place.
By Catie Staszak
