Paris 2024: Anush Agarwalla gets first ever Olympics quota in Dressage for India

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Anush Agarwalla, who had won a historic individual bronze medal at the 2023 Asian Games, has secured a Paris Olympic quota for the country in dressage discipline, the Equestrian Federation of India (EFI) has announced.

Agarwalla, who won an individual bronze in Hangzhou, was allotted the quota on the basis of his performance in four FEI events - Wroclaw, Poland (73.485%), Kronenberg, Netherlands (74.4%), Frankfurt, Germany (72.9%), and Mechelen, Belgium (74.2%).

The quota belongs to the country, and the National Federation will conduct a final trial before sending the final name to the organisers. Agarwall was proud to make his childhood dream a reality.

"I am very proud and grateful to have been successful for 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," said 24-year-old Agarwalla.

The young rider Agarwalla hoped that he will be able to retain the quota for the Summer Olympics in Paris, scheduled to be held from July 26 to August 11.

"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," Agarwalla said.

EFI Secretary General Col Jaiveer Singh congratulated the rider and said it is not a surprise to see Indian riders making their presence felt across events.

"We got a confirmation from FEI about the allocation of individual quota in dressage event. It is a matter of pride that Anush's consistent show in the FEI events has got India quota," said Jaiveer.

"Indian riders have been making their presence felt in the FEI events and it is not at all surprising that India wil yet again have representation in Olympics in the equestrian events," Jaiveer added.

Celebreated Fouaad Mirza had represented India at the 2020 Tokyo Games and before him only Imtiaaz Anees (2000), Indrajit Lamba (1996) and Darya Singh (1980) could compete at the biggest sporting stage.

What is Dressage event?

• The rider-horse combo performs in an arena of 20m x 60m, bordered by a low rail which the horse must stay within.
• The arena has 12 lettered markers placed symmetrically indicating where the movements are to start and where the changes to pace are to occur and where the movements will end.
• There are seven stages - preliminary, elementary, medium, advanced medium, advanced, Prix St George and Intermediate -I.
• The scoring is done on scale of 1 to 10 where 1 indicates very bad and 10 excellent.