Indian Equestrian Anush Agarwalla Secures Paris Olympics Quota in Dressage Discipline

New Delhi: Anush Agarwalla, the equestrian sensation who clinched a historic gold in Team Dressage at the Asian Games in Hangzhou, has now secured a coveted quota place for India in the dressage discipline at the upcoming Paris Olympics, announced the Equestrian Federation of India (EFI) on Monday.

The 24-year-old rider, who also claimed an individual bronze at the Hangzhou Asian Games in September 2023, earned the Olympic quota based on his exceptional performances in four FEI events held in Wroclaw, Poland (73.485%), Kronenberg, Netherlands (74.4%), Frankfurt, Germany (72.9%), and Mechelen, Belgium (74.2%). The allocated quota now belongs to the country, and the National Federation will conduct a final trial before nominating the official representative.

Expressing his pride, Anush Agarwalla shared, “I am very proud and grateful to have been successful in securing a berth for India at the Paris Olympic Games. Competing in the Olympics has always been a childhood dream for me, and I’m proud to be part of this historical moment for the nation.”

The young equestrian is determined to maintain the quota, stating, “I will continue doing what I have always been doing: staying focused, being disciplined, working hard, setting goals, and achieving them. I am confident that I will be selected to represent India at this prestigious stage.”

EFI Secretary General Col Jaiveer Singh extended his congratulations to Agarwalla, stating, “We got confirmation from FEI today about the allocation of individual quota in the dressage event. It is a matter of pride that Anush’s consistent show in the FEI events has got India quota. Indian riders have been making their presence felt in the FEI events, and it is not at all surprising that India will yet again have representation in the Olympics in the equestrian events.”

Tokyo Olympian Fouaad Mirza represented India at the 2020 Tokyo Games, and Agarwalla’s achievement continues to showcase India’s growing prominence in the equestrian arena. In Dressage, the rider-horse combination performs in a designated arena, executing precise movements and pace changes, with scoring based on a scale of 1 to 10, reflecting the quality of their performance.

This accomplishment reinforces India’s commitment to excellence in equestrian sports and marks another significant stride towards achieving glory on the global stage.