UAE lead from start for Endurance clean sweep

United Arab Emirates riders proved their endurance power at Mesaieed Endurance Course on Saturday by winning team gold and all three individual medals, repeating their haul from 2007. Yousef Ahmed Alblooshi led the way along the 120km of desert track, coming in first at every gate. His grabbed the individual gold medal with a total riding time of 4hr 40mins 24. HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum came in just one second behind. Crossing the finish line holding hands with Alblooshi, he underscored UAE’s team spirit and earned individual silver. Saeed Sultan Shames Al Maamri won the individual bronze in 4:41.41, with his compatriot Ali Ghanim Al Marri coming in fourth, seven seconds behind. UAE team rider Ali Khalfan Al Jahouri finished sixth behind Bahrain’s HH Sheikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa. The eldest son of the King of Bahrain was the only starter from his country. Three Omani riders – Khatar Al Maamari, Ibrahim Al Maqbali and Abdullah Said Salim Al Siyabi – took team silver. It was a first international start for all of them. There was no bronze medal as Qatar and Saudi Arabia had only two riders left in the competition. Thirty-two horses were in the mass start shortly before sunrise. Fourteen were eliminated, mostly because of lameness.