Qatar equestrian team clinched the bronze medal in the showjumping event at the Asian Games yesterday. The Qatari team of Sheikh Ali bin Khalid al-Thani, Hamad al-Attiyah, Bassem Mohamed and Salman al-Suwaidi finished third, having won gold in the same event at the 2014 Asiad in Incheon, South Korea.
Saudi Arabia took gold, ahead of Japan.
Japan represented by Taizo Sugitani with his horse De Muze Heroine, Shota Ogumori (Iron Man Sig), Toshiki Masui (Carthagena 6) and Daisuke Fukushima (Cornet 36) tallied 12.74 score to walk away with the silver.
Qatar’s Sheikh Ali riding his nine-year-old stallion Sirocco, al-Attiyah (Clinton), Basem (Argelith Squid) and al-Suwaidi (Cantaro 32) had a combined score of 20.50.
Saudi’s team comprised Ramzy Hamad al-Duhami with his horse Ted, Khaled Abdulrahman Almobty (Desert Storm II), Khaled Abdulaziz Aleid (Kayenne of De Rocky Mounten) and Abdullah Waleed Sharbatly (Carrera).
Meanwhile, in the individual showjumping competition, Sheikh Ali jumped a place and was in second position after round two of the qualifiers. The ace Qatari rider was a meagre 0.2 points behind Saudi’s al-Duhami. Bassem dropped a place to be ninth, while al-Attiyah slid to 20th from tied 16th. Al-Suwaidi dropped from 25th spot to 40th.
After today’s rest day, the riders will take part in the final tomorrow, which will be held over two rounds. A staggering 68 competitors from 19 nations are participating in the Jumping class. The number of nations has more than doubled from the last Asian Games in Incheon.
Qatari team comprising Sheikh Ali bin Khalid al-Thani, Hamad al-Attiyah, Bassem Mohamed and Salman al-Suwaidi finished third in the showjumping event yesterday.
