‘Madness’ turns to reality: fresh ambition helps China eventing team seal place in 2020 Tokyo Games; Hong Kong miss out
- London-based rider Alex Hua Tian says the willingness to take risks has helped mainland riders close in on their Japanese rivals
- Hong Kong riders still have a chance to qualify for Tokyo via the Asian individual qualifying events
A sceptical Alex Hua Tian thought it was “madness” when the Chinese Equestrian Association (CEA) told him 18 months ago that they wanted the mainland eventing team to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
After all, Chinese riders had little experience outside their home country and the focus of their training was the National Games, not the Olympics.
The veteran rider is now pinching himself after he led the China team to second place in the
Saumur Complet 2019 in France over the weekend, in which they came agonisingly close to beating Asian powerhouse Japan.
China and third-placed Thailand qualified for the Olympic eventing competition while Hong Kong missed out despite a brave effort. Japan had already qualified.
“Four years ago, Chinese riders, other than myself, were based in China and their main goal was the National Games,” Hua Tian told the South China Morning Post. “There was still very much a glass ceiling in terms of ambition.