No ninth Olympics for Australian equestrian veteran Hoy

Australian equestrian veteran Andrew Hoy was overlooked on Thursday for the Paris Games, ending his bid to compete at a ninth Olympics, but the 65-year-old indicated that he planned to keep going.

Hoy, who made his Games debut in Los Angeles in 1984, was not among the Australian team unveiled for Paris.

Hoy is a three-time gold medallist who won silver and bronze in Tokyo three years ago. No other Australian has been to eight Olympics.

A ninth would have put Hoy alongside just three other athletes to have achieved the feat with Canadian equestrian great Ian Millar the only person to have made it to 10 Olympics.

“Over all these years in our beloved sport, I have experienced incredible highs and devastating lows,” Hoy said on Instagram.

“I would not be the competitive athlete that I am if I wasn’t disappointed about my non-selection for the Australian team heading to Paris.

“This chapter of Paris 2024 may be closing, but the book isn’t finished. We are excited to see what the future holds for us.”

In his absence, Chris Burton, Shane Rose and Kevin McNab were picked for the eventing team, while Edwina Tops-Alexander will become Australia’s first five-time Olympian showjumper.

For the first time, Australia will compete with an all-female jumping team with Tops-Alexander joined by debutants Hilary Scott and Thaisa Erwin.

“We are incredibly proud of our athletes who have campaigned so hard to be chosen,” said Equestrian Australia chair Christie Freeman, without mentioning Hoy.

“All of them exemplify the strength, courage resilience and determination our sport has been associated with for generations.”

Dressage and showjumping will take place in the royal park of Versailles Palace, around 20 kilometres (12.4 miles) from Paris.