India equestrian Fouaad Mirza on Thursday said he is entering the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in good shape and form, and he is confident of achieving a special feat at the Games.
Mirza had earlier won a silver medal at both the individual eventing and team eventing at the 2018 Asian Games.
"With the Covid-19 pandemic around, yes my training was affected, but that was last year and towards the beginning of this year. The training was not affected as much as compared to the competitions and preparation competitions for qualification for Olympics, those were affected. Shows could not be organised due to lockdown restrictions and so competitions were affected by the Covid-19 pandemic," said Mirza while replying to anquery during a virtual press conference organised by Embassy Group.
"I think we are heading into the Olympics in good shape and form, the horses have been placed in the last two competitions that we have done which are in the Olympic level, that shows that they are in good form and we are looking to do something good at the Tokyo Olympics," he added.
Mirza had won a quota for the Tokyo Olympics in 2019 itself, but the coronavirus pandemic and the cancellation of events globally meant that he could only complete the Minimum Eligibility Requirements for the Olympics in May this year. He managed to do that at Baborowko in Poland, finishing second on Seigneur Medicott and third with Dajara 4.
He had been in a strong run of form for the past three years, after winning two medals at the Asian Games and he also became the first Indian in 36 years to win an individual medal in equestrian at the Asian Games. In 2019, he was honoured with the Arjuna Award.
( With inputs from ANI )
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