In show jumping, a hurdle is a reality
Updated Date: 12th June, 2023
In the world of sports, athletes often encounter numerous obstacles and setbacks on their journey to greatness. Some hurdles can be anticipated, while others come as unexpected blows, testing an athlete's resilience and determination.
Sri Lanka's first-ever Equestrian Olympian Mathilda Karlsson who, with unwavering dedication, set her sights on qualifying for the prestigious Asian Games scheduled to be held in Hangzhou later this year. However, fate dealt her a cruel twist, with an injury in the 11th hour.
However, we had the privilege of interviewing her before the situation, capturing the essence of her dreams, aspirations, and the challenges she faced along the way.
We stepped into our interview inquiring first about her journey from Tokyo 2020 Olympics till now.
She responded, “It's been a while since Tokyo 2020 and it’s been a relatively resting time because Asian Games got postponed and last year, I didn't really have a championship to prepare for. Otherwise, we've been making preparations to get a new team for the next try for Paris 2024. It’s a very difficult task of course to qualify for the Olympics, so we started right after Tokyo 2020 we started rethinking what we could do better and what we need to change. A lot of things went wrong, and a lot of things went right, so it is essential to have a good plan of what we would like to change, what we would like to keep and what we need to improve. Another plan we've been improving on was targeting sponsors to join our team because all of my team is sponsored, so it’s a lot of work to find sponsors and funding to keep going.
With the Asian Games qualifiers on the horizon, our athlete's dreams were within reach. We learned about her preparation, training and the excitement that fueled her desire to compete at such a prestigious event. Her passion for representing her country resonated powerfully throughout our conversation.
She explained, “This year, there will be qualifications for Paris 2024, where I would love to take part in another Olympics - it would be my highest dream to have another go to change things, to have more experience, to do things a little different and to have the experience I gained at Tokyo 2020 to get another chance. Also, my horse Chopin VA would be older - he is now with more experience. So, I think we could definitely achieve more and we would be way better prepared if we could get another try. So, that is the preparation in the back of my mind for sure this year. I have until the end of December to qualify, so I am not quite stressed about this yet. But you need to take all the options and opportunities you can to try to qualify.
"Also, of course, the Asian Games is the highlight. I have never been to Asian Games, so for me, it’s very exciting and I am looking very much forward to it because I know it will be a great experience. I know that I can go get a medal this time. For Tokyo, of course, my goal was to get a medal but it wasn’t realistic that I would have a big chance to get a medal competing against the best riders in the world unfortunately, especially since most riders in Europe are very strong and they have the best in the world. But, going to the Asian Games, there would be a lot of competition and regardless I feel like it would be my game there. I will definitely have a reason and a realistic chance to get a good medal.
"In show jumping and Equestrian, the strongest riders and teams come from Europe, and maybe a few from the USA. A lot of Asian nations do not have the strongest setup for Equestrian. However, since I am based in Europe and I compete against the best riders and horses in the world on a daily basis, I think that would give me an advantage over a lot of Asian-based riders. But of course, we have a lot of other Asian riders based in Europe as well, so there will be competition for sure. I am very excited still because I believe it would be my game."
Within the realm of Equestrian, the bond between athlete and horse is of utmost importance. The horse becomes an indispensable partner, sharing the athlete's triumphs and setbacks alike. So we then moved on to discuss about the preparations of her horse.
"Unfortunately, my horse Chopin VA hurt himself a bit just after Tokyo 2020, when he came back home. So he had a good rest until March last year and he started showing again. Since then, he has been in top shape and my goal last year was the FEI Zangersheide Sires of the World. We were able to place 7th in the world in the Int. Jumping Competition with 1.50m jump off in the competition - I was very proud of our achievements there because there was a goal to be set to be good and he performed amazingly. That was also another experience that will help us get to more championships we can participate in to take us further. I can also feel that he is growing a lot mentally after having the Tokyo experience.
"Back then, I felt like coming to that arena, even if he was 12 years old since he had done a lot, and I was feeling very confident with him. Unfortunately, he lacked a lot of experience. We’ve never been to an arena like that with that much pressure and surroundings. He’s a very relaxed horse - you know you can always trust him 100%, so I was very surprised that he got a little shy and insecure there, especially since he’s always so confident and nothing is too big or too high for him. That was something new that I have never felt in him before and honestly, I would never push him to do something he doesn’t feel ready for. When he spooked at the water, where usually he jumps to water fine, I felt it was just a chain of all the emotions and he just wasn’t ready even though I thought he was. And that is something we will work on for the Asian Games and hopefully for Paris Olympics 2024.
"Despite that, I could feel, through this experience, he grew mentally and now he is so much more settled. It is difficult to explain because he is a horse but I can feel him entering the ring being more adult now. He was a teenager before - being a little bit everywhere and excited and now he’s more focused. This is a great feeling because now he is even more secure and gain a lot of confidence."
Unexpectedly then, tragedy struck. An injury came into play – while this injury is a mystery, the reality is that she may not be a part of the Asian Games.
In the world of sports, triumph and tragedy often walk hand in hand. The story of Karlsson and Chopin VA serves as a reminder that setbacks are an inevitable part of an athlete's journey. While this sets a question about her participation in the Asian Games and the future trajectory of her career, one thing is certain: Mathilda will continue to fuel her pursuit of excellence, whether that be in the Asian Games or in future endeavors. Her story serves as a reminder that while the path may be uncertain, the spirit of an athlete remains unyielding.
