China’s show jumpers riding a ticket to Tokyo

China’s show jumping team qualified for next summer’s Tokyo Olympics after placing second at the Group G qualifier in the Netherlands on Tuesday.

Li Yaofeng, Zhang You, Li Zhenqiang and Liu Tongyan rounded up their score to 47 faults to finish as runner-up to New Zealand.

“The Chinese team is going to the Olympics again. It means we have improved a lot over the last 10 years and we will keep improving. I think this will motivate more and more people to join this amazing sport. We’ve been preparing for this for over a year,” said Li Yaofeng.

The 21-year-old finished seventh in the individual competition at the Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing in 2014.

Yaofeng’s father Zhenqiang, who posted just six faults over the day’s two rounds to help seal the Olympic slot, had this to say: “For a dozen years my son and I have trained together, competed together and now it has proved to be a worthwhile trip. I am very excited.

“Beijing 2008 was the first Olympic Games for myself and the other Chinese riders, so it is a lifelong memory for me. But this one is even more meaningful because we competed against five other teams in Group G and earned the qualification, whereas last time we got through as the host country.

“It proves that Chinese equestrianism has developed dramatically in recent years.”

Team China captain and anchorman Liu Tongyan congratulated his side, saying: “This is only the first step in a long journey; there is still a gap between us and the world’s best riders but I hope we will go further and be even better.”

One of China’s young hopefuls is 18-year-old Zhang You, who steered his 10-year-old gelding Caesar through two eight-fault rounds.

“I feel great to achieve this result with my team; it’s the first time that China has been properly qualified as a team, so I feel happy for myself and my teammates,” said Zhang.

“I’m very excited about going to Tokyo, and we will try to do good over there.”