NEW DELHI: India claimed the team dressage gold in equestrian sport at the Asian Games in Hangzhou on Tuesday, breaking a 41-year-old jinx at the continental event.
The team comprising Divyakriti Singh astride Adrenalin Firfod, Hriday Chheda (Chemxpro Emerald) and Anush Agarwalla (Etro) aggregated 209.205 percentage points on way to the top podium finish.
Sudipti Hajela was also part of the team, but only the top three scores were counted in the event.
It is the first time in the history of the sport, India secured a team gold in dressage event. The last medal in dressage, a bronze, came during the 1986 edition. India last won a gold in equestrian in the 1982 Asian Games In New Delhi
Here's a look at the riders who helped India secure a team gold in event.
Sudipti Hajela
Age: 21
From: Indore, Madhya Pradesh
Training Base: Pamfou, France
Coach: Camillee Judet Cheret
Foreign Support Staff: Menard Mandy (groom)
She started her equestrian journey early, at the age of six, as a summer hobby which soon turned into a career. Her current coach Camillee Judet Cheret was part of the French Olympics team and French national team.
Divyakriti Singh
Age: 23
From: Jaipur, Rajasthan
Training Base: Hagen A.T.W., Germany
Coach: Insa Hansen
Foreign Support Staff: David R Caunter (Groom)
She was frequently training in Europe (Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Austria) during school and university and has also trained in Wellington, Florida, which is regarded as the equestrian capital of the world. Post university, she moved to Europe in 2020 for training in preparation for the Asian Games and other international competitions. Her equestrian journey started in the 7th grade in her school, where it was mandatory to play a sport and she chose horse-riding.
Hriday Chheda
Age: 25
Hometown: Mumbai
Training Base: France
Coach: Corentin Pottier
Foreign Support Staff: Katherina Asbeck
Starting at the young age of 6, he spent the better part of his life on horseback. Over the last 10 years, he has regularly trained and worked in Europe with trainers such as Hannes Baumgart, Johan Zagers Emma Kanerva and was based with British Olympian Emile Faurie for a period of one year in 2017. He completed his undergraduate studies in Business and Management from University of London.
He is actively involved in developing the sport within India by helping and assisting young riders in Mumbai, Pune and Pondicherry besides retraining horses for equestrian purposes. He moved to France in 2023 to train at the professional dressage stable in Pamfou.
Anush Agarwalla
Age: 23
Hometown: Kolkata
Training Base: Borchen, Germany
Coach: Hubertus Schmidt
Foreign Support Staff: Alison Helen McIvor (groom)
He sat on a horse for the first time when he was 3 years old, at the Tollygunge Club in Kolkata. What started as a ritual weekend joy-ride soon turned into a passion. His mother enrolled him for riding lessons when he was 8 and he started competing in local events for kids. Three years later, he started travelling to Delhi on weekends to pursue his equestrian dreams. This routine continued till he was 16 and shifted his base to Delhi before moving to Germany to train under Hubertus Schmidt.
(Information courtesy: Sports Authority of India)
