Abdulrahman Alrajhi (KSA) and Lorenzo ES compete during the Jumping Individual B First Round of the 20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026. © FEI / Yusuke Nakanishi

03.10.2026

Saudi Arabia carried their winning form into the opening rounds of the Individual Jumping competitions at the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games on Saturday, with Abdulrahman Alrajhi and Khaled Almobty taking the lead in the Games’ new two-tier format.

Just two days after Saudi Arabia secured Team gold at the JRA Equestrian Park in Tokyo (JPN), Alrajhi and Lorenzo ES were fastest of five combinations to finish the 1.55m Competition B on zero penalties, while Almobty and Diana du Plevau Z headed the 1.45m–1.50m Competition A.

For the first time at the Asian Games, Individual Jumping medals are being contested across two different levels. Competition A retains the established format, with 1.45m in the opening round before moving to 1.50m on Sunday, while the newly added Competition B is contested at up to 1.55m.

Alrajhi leads Competition B

Competition B was contested over a 510-metre track designed by Course Designer Louis Konickx, featuring 12 obstacles and 15 jumping efforts, including a triple combination at fence eight and a double at fence 11, with a time allowed of 77 seconds.

Alrajhi and Lorenzo ES finished clear in 72.87 seconds to take the lead, just 0.22 seconds ahead of Qatar’s Basem Mohammed and Chaccball. Saudi Arabia’s Ramzy Al Duhami and Untouchable 32, who had delivered the decisive clear for Team gold on Thursday, were third in 73.95.

His first-round win also means Alrajhi will be the last to start in Sunday’s second round, which is run in reverse order of Saturday’s standings.

“This was the plan with our trainer and Chef d’Equipe, to give us an advantage to have a look at the riders before us,” Alrajhi said. “The championship hasn’t finished yet. So far, things are going according to plan and hopefully tomorrow we can celebrate the gold.”

Shaikha Latifa Al Maktoum with Cornet XL and Kuwait’s Ali Alkharafi with Inshallah also finished on zero, leaving five combinations carrying no penalties into Sunday’s final round.

The time allowed also played a part, with several combinations adding time penalties to their scores. Japan’s Eiken Sato and Chadellano were among those affected, leaving every fence standing but picking up one time penalty to sit sixth.

“That one time penalty could have enormous consequences. It was entirely the rider’s fault,” Sato said. “My horse and the rest of the team were faultless today. My own performance, however, was appalling.”

All 15 combinations that completed Competition B qualified for the second round.

Saudi one-two in Competition A

In Competition A, Almobty stopped the clock at 74.38 seconds, with teammate Saad Alajmi aboard Davenport taking second place on zero in 75.18. The United Arab Emirates’ Humaid Almheiri and Mentos completed the top three, also clear, in 76.21.

Alajmi’s result continued a strong start to a new partnership. The experienced 15-year-old Davenport had been competing internationally at 1.60m level with Saturday’s winner Almobty as recently as August, before Alajmi took over the ride ahead of the Asian Games. The new combination were already part of Saudi Arabia’s gold-medal Team on Thursday.

Seven combinations finished the first round on zero penalties, putting them in the strongest position heading into Sunday’s second round. A total of 20 of the 29 starters qualified, with a maximum of two Athletes per nation advancing.

Penalties from Saturday carry forward to Sunday, when both Individual competitions will be decided over their second and final rounds.

The higher-level competition was added after the Asian Equestrian Federation proposed raising the standard of Jumping at the Games. Rather than replacing the existing Individual event, the Olympic Council of Asia kept it on the programme and added a second title, bringing the number of Jumping medal events to three.

FULL RESULTS - COMPETITION A / COMPETITION B