Mexican rider Alberto Michan said Wednesday that Mexico has hopes for a medal at the equestrian teams during the Beijing Olympic Games in an interview at the Mexican Olympic Committee.
Michan is one of the three two-member teams that will participate in the Olympics and he affirmed that Mexico will take the best riders and a round can put them on fight for the medals.
"We depend on the horses. About riders I'm sure we are taking the best ones and anything can happen. We go thinking that we can win," said Michan.
Michan said that everything is possible in a final and reminded what the Brazilian team did without being favorites.
Michan said that Mexican riders are still amateurs and have disadvantage towards European peers that are professionals and have horses of great quality that could make the difference.
"The level of the riders is the same, we can fight for a medal, our horses are high quality but are not the best of the world," said Michan.
Mexican equestrian will have two two-member teams and the substitute for the camping they will have in Calgary, Canada where they will compete for five weeks in different tournaments of the International Equestrian Federation.
Mexico will also take to the Olympics the equestrienne Berndette Pujals who qualified at individual training.
Mexican equestrian team will be decided on June 30 to travel to Germany where they will train before traveling to Hong Kong.
From the 52 medals Mexico has achieved during the Olympic Games history, the equestrian competitions have gave Mexico seven medals, namely two gold, one silver and four bronze.
(Xinhua News Agency May 29, 2008)