The Saudi Arabian jumping team successfully defended its Asian Games title on Thursday at the 20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026, held at the JRA Equestrian Park. Following a thrilling final, Saudi Arabia secured gold without incurring a single penalty point across both rounds. Silver went to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), while host nation Japan claimed bronze.
The final outcome came down to the very last combination of the competition. After the UAE team finished with a total of four faults, the pressure rested on Saudi anchor rider Ramzy Al Duhami. Delivering a clear round, he secured the championship title for Saudi Arabia.
The UAE finished in second place on four faults to take silver. Sheikha Latifah Bint Ahmed Al Maktoum and Humaid Abdulla Khalifa Al Muhairi both delivered clear rounds in the decisive second phase, while Abdullah Humaid Al Muhairi and Omar Abdul Aziz Al Marzooqi each picked up four faults. With a faster aggregate time of 218.77 seconds compared to Japan's 226.12 seconds, the UAE earned silver ahead of Japan, who also finished on four faults.
William Funnell, Chef d’Équipe of the UAE team, congratulated the winning team and reflected realistically on the result: “We came here to win gold, but in showjumping, one unlucky fault can change everything. The team performed exceptionally well, and this silver medal shows our progress following our bronze in Hangzhou.”
With the team competition concluded, attention now turns to the Individual Jumping events. Qualifications begin on Saturday, 03 October, followed by the final rounds and medal ceremony on Sunday, 04 October at JRA Equestrian Park.
