Showjumping at the 2018 Commonwealth Games. Credit: Equestrian Australia - Twitter
The Australian Equestrian Team was finalised Wednesday, with three showjumping athletes joining the previously named six equestrian athletes named last Friday.
Edwina Tops-Alexander, Jamie Kermond and Kate Laurie have been named to compete in the showjumping event.
Read The Inner Sanctum‘s preview of Equestrian at Tokyo 2020 here.
Tops-Alexander is on her way to her fourth Olympics, having previously ridden at Beijing 2008, London 2012 and Rio 2016. She has previously finished in the top 10 twice previously. She will be riding Identity Vitseroel at Tokyo 2020, with whom she has been partnered with since 2019.
Tops-Alexander was delighted to have been named to her fourth Olympics.
“I’m once again honoured to be chosen to represent Australia at the Tokyo Olympics,” Tops-Alexander said. “It means a lot to me to represent my country in the best possible way.”
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Kermond will be making his debut for the Olympics and will be riding Yandoo-Oaks Constellation. He and his steed have been a combination at the international level before, including at the 2018 World Equestrian Games, where Australia secured the team quote for Tokyo 2020.
Laurie will be riding Casebrooke Lomond at her Olympic debut. She has ridden Casebrook Lomond for the last 10 years and has plenty of chemistry that will stand her in good stead for the competition.
Australia has never won a medal for Showjumping at the Olympics, but there are strong hopes that the Tokyo 2020 trio will buck that trend and make history, with Tops-Alexander’s experience on the stage likely to be vital.
Tops-Alexander, Kermond and Laurie complete the nine-person team, alongside Chris Burton, Andrew Hoy and Shane Rose (all eventing) and Mary Hanna, Simone Pearce and Kelly Layne (dressage).
The equestrian competition starts on July 24.
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