WAIS equestrian rider Sonja Johnson is in preparation for her final Olympic selection event in this weekend’s three-day event in Melbourne.
The competition in Werribee is the last opportunity for riders to impress their way into the five-member team for the Beijing Olympic Games, with the squad to be announced on 5 July.
Johnson has based herself in Coldstream, in Victoria’s Yarra Valley for the past three months to focus on the final stages of the Olympic selection process.
Last month, Johnson gained significant confidence by winning the three-day event in Sydney, but knows a similar result may be required to book a spot on the Australian Olympic team.
“We could field three really competitive teams, but you know the only way you can force yourself into a selection position is to win,” Johnson said.
In a difficult selection process, Johnson explained that even victory itself didn’t guarantee automatic selection.
“It’s not a case of just because you win you’re going to go. The selectors compare how we’ve gone at Sydney and Melbourne against each other. They have to compare how those performances stacked up against performances of those in Europe.”
Johnson will begin competition this Saturday at the three star event, which is the second highest international grade. Whilst there is great expectation on Johnson, she says the biggest factor is her own motivation.
“Most of the pressure is probably coming from myself because I know that the best way to ensure that I have the best chance of selection as possible is to go and beat everyone in Australia again,” Johnson said.
“My goal for the year is to get on that Australian team and go to the Olympics, so, yes, I’ve got pressure on myself to win.”
“But I can ensure you everyone else has the same thing.”
Johnson will compete on 17 year-old Ringwould Jaguar and Parkiarrup Illicit Liaison a seven-year-old 16-hand thoroughbred.
Johnson will be hoping Beijing is a case of fourth coming, after near misses in Atlanta (1996), Sydney (2000) and Athens (2004), where Johnson was named as a non-travelling reserve for the Australian Equestrian team.
“It’s something that I’ve set myself as a long-term goal. And so (going) would be the fulfilment of an ambition. I suspect the Olympics is something you enjoy afterwards because we’re not going for the party. We’re going to bring home medals,” Johnson said.
