5 and Paris Olympics bronze medallist Becky Moody. New Delhi: This February, less than three months after her three-medal haul at the Asian Championships in Pattaya, Thailand, equestrian Shruti Vora packed her bags at her then base in Germany and relocated to Yorkshire to train under world No. The reason? Despite her three silver medals at the continental championships, Vora was not happy with the way she rode.
“As an athlete, you must be ready to step out of your comfort zone. Only Chheda has managed to retain his place in this Asiad team. Besides Vora and Chedda, India will be represented by Gaurav Pundir and Jai Sud in dressage. “I do believe we have the squad to better that Hangzhou result. Everyone has good horses and I have known Hriday and Gaurav for a while. And we have a young boy in Jay.
India had a memorable run in dressage at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou where the quartet of Sudipti Hajela, Hriday Chheda, Anush Agarwalla, and Divyakriti Singh won a team gold while Agarwalla later claimed an individual bronze medal. Gaurav, in particular, has improved a lot over the past 8-9 months.
I feel I could’ve done much better in Thailand and maybe my training needed an upgrade,” she told HT from Japan where she’ll compete in the dressage event at the ongoing Asian Games later this week. I see good chances,” said Vora.
Trained until recently by Major Jitendarjit Singh Ahluwalia, who also co-owns her horse Magnanimous — a 14-year-old warmblood gelding — and London Olympics team dressage silver medallist from Germany Helen Langehanenberg, Vora was blown away by Moody’s attention to detail. I have a family to take care of as well, so my life is very different from that of a regular athlete, but this is what I have signed up for. “She is a great person and a great athlete. “I don’t believe in age. I believe in science. Muscle doesn’t know how old you are; it’s the mind. “I never miss a riding session. I hope to return with ‘the’ medal to make it all worthwhile. I have been in good form.
That doesn’t take anything away from Major Ahluwalia or Helen who trained me to reach this far,” she said. Age is what I look at and smile,” she said. My body is feeling well, I am in good mental space,” she said.
Vora is kicking herself for not making the move earlier. I regret not coming to her earlier.
