By NE NOW NEWS
Dimapur: Nagaland’s equestrian athlete Kekhriesilie Rio has won the Grand Prix at the Haras de Liverdy in France while riding Presley OL.
The win in the international showjumping competition is being seen as a significant milestone for Indian equestrian sport and for athletes from the Northeast competing on the global stage.
Abu Metha, vice-president of the Athletics Federation of India, described the achievement as a remarkable moment for Indian showjumping. Sharing visuals from the competition, he said Rio’s success showed how young athletes could reach the highest levels when provided with the right opportunities. He congratulated the rider and encouraged him to aim for further achievements.
Rio’s rise in equestrian sport has been marked by consistent performances. In 2014–15, he secured third place in the Individual category at the Junior National Equestrian Championship (Endurance) held in Dibrugarh.
He later won the Junior National Equestrian Championship (Show Jumping) in Kolkata in 2018, earning the national title. His international breakthrough came in 2019 when he finished second at the Asian Equestrian Federation Junior/Young Jumping Challenge.
In 2020, Rio delivered another strong performance at the FEI World Show Jumping Challenge in Bengaluru, where he was ranked No. 2 globally and No. 1 in Asia in Category A.
In 2021, he secured a podium finish at the National Equestrian Championship (Senior) in New Delhi in the Puissance jumping event, further consolidating his standing in Indian equestrian sport.