2004 CDI Sydney

Olympic Puzzle Still Not Solved

May2 , 2004

Australia's hopes of having a competitor in the dressage competition at the Athens Olympic Games will hinge on the final calculations of the world ranking, to be released by the international federation -- the FEI -- tomorrow morning. Australia currently does not have a rider qualified, and there are only three places still up for grabs.

After missing out on team selection by one per cent in the European championships last August, Australian riders now only have the chance of individual selection for the Games. Before this weekend event, Australia's Ricky MacMillan was in fourth place behind riders from Belarus, Finland and France.

Tomorrow morning the FEI will calculate the percentages on how the riders performed this weekend and review the top three contenders for the remaining places at the Olympics which will be announced on May 15.

"The scores the girls achieved last night were really good," said Chairman of the Australian Dressage Committee, Deborah MacNicol. "We definitely have high hopes. "It would be a huge disappointment if we don't go."

If Australia come out in the top three and qualify for the Olympics, there will be an internal selection to decide who will compete for Australia in Athens.

"The main competition will be between Ricky MacMillan and Mary Hanna, but at the moment we are just focussed on getting in!"

The final decision on who would represent Australia will not be announced until late June.

Image copyright Peter Orr/Main Event Photography

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