Major change to Paris Paralympic line-up as gold medal favourites withdraw

Defending Paralympic champions Tobias Thorning Jørgensen and Jolene have been ruled out of Paris 2024 after the mare developed travel sickness.

Tobias and the 16-year-old mare have won individual and freestyle gold at every senior championship since 2019. They also helped the Danish side to European team bronze in 2019 and world team silver in 2022.

A statement from the Danish equestrian federation on Sunday (1 September) said that during transport to Paris, Jolene was diagnosed with travel sickness and received treatment from the vets.

Tobias, who was a flag bearer at the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games opening ceremony, said that Jolene’s well-being comes first.

“Of course I’m super sad and disappointed that I can’t compete down here. It’s something I’ve fought a lot for and which means a lot to me, but my own ambitions and dreams must never, ever weigh more than Jolene’s well-being, and that’s also why we’ve chosen to pull her,” he said.

Tobias and Jolene would have been competing for Grade III medals, the same grade as Britain’s Natasha Baker and Keystone Dawn Chorus, and highly likely to be named among Denmark’s three combinations to contest the team medals. However, the Paralympic rules mean that the pair cannot be replaced at this stage, so Denmark will continue as a squad of three.

“We all feel for Tobias and the rest of his team, who have fought exemplary to stand as strong as possible for [the Paralympic Games],” said Denmark’s head of mission, Nicklas Bjaaland.

“We will do everything to ensure that Tobias gets the support he needs, and of course the same applies to Jolene and the team behind it. In addition, we have a big focus on the rest of the dressage team getting the calm they need to be able to perform in the upcoming competitions.”

The first trot up took place today (2 September) with competition starting tomorrow (Tuesday, 3 September).

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