City boys bank on home advantage
MUMBAI: With the Mahalaxmi Racecourse-based Amateur Riders' Club (ARC) all set to host the selection trials for the 19th Asian Games equestrian (show jumping) from Sunday, city equestrian stars are upbeat on taking advantage of the home environment and make the grade for the sporting extravaganza to be held in Hangzhou, China from September 10 to 25, 2022.
"Considering that the trials are at ARC, it's definitely an advantage for us because we are used to the ground, fences and the general atmosphere," 25-year-old Kaevaan Setalvad told TOI on Saturday. Kaevaan had made it to the final round at the Jakarta Games in 2018.
Kaevaan's younger brother Zahan, who too had made it to the final round at the Jakarta Games, says trials being held at ARC will help because it is also home advantage for the horses. "The horses are staying in their own stables as compared to being stabled in the camp. They know the arena well as they work there every day."
Yashaan Khambatta, the first Indian to ever reach the final round of a show jumping event in Asian Games at Incheon (South Korea) in 2014, says he is confident of qualifying because of home advantage. "My horse Lorenzo and I have made the first qualification held in Bangalore last month and trials here will help me because there will be no pressure on me since it would be just another day for me and my horse as we work on the same ground daily."
Kaevaan, on the other hand, is a little worried about his horse Cherokee. "I was fortunate enough to qualify for the team event with Cherokee and the individual event with Alasdair in Bengaluru. Unfortunately, Cherokee didn't qualify for the individual event despite being the better horse, I hope to qualify with him in the upcoming individual event."
The show jumping trials will have two rounds for teams and individuals to qualify under the two categories: (a) 1.40 metres over two rounds for team qualification and (b) 1.50 metres over two rounds for individual qualification.
