MOGILEV, 22 October (BelTA) – Belarusian horse rider Yelena Telepushkina and her horse Passat secured a place at the forthcoming Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil next year, BelTA learnt from the Mogilev Oblast Olympic Equestrian and Modern Pentathlon Center.
In the International Equestrian Federation Olympic standings the Belarusian is ranked second in the Central, Eastern Europe and Middle Asia eventing group. The rankings are topped by Russia's Alexander Markov and his horse Kurfyurstin. Yelena Telepushkina goes 6 points behind with the total of 260 points.
Belarusian eventer Alexander Fominov (two-time Olympic participant) will compete for the Rio 2016 berth in the ongoing qualification competitions in Vladikavkaz, Russia.
If the Belarusian duet (Yelena Telepushkina and her horse Passat) take part in the Olympics 2016, the Mogilev-born Passat will become a three-time Olympic participant, which is a rare thing among animals taking part in sport competitions.
“At a rule in horse trials which are considered a high-injury type of the equestrian sport horses finish their performance at the age of 15-16 years old or even earlier. Passat is 18 years old already and he has still been showing great results at international competitions,” representatives of the Mogilev Oblast Olympic Equestrian and Modern Pentathlon Center told BelTA.
