JEDDAH: If there is one Saudi national team outside of athletics with a potential for a medal in the Beijing Olympics it has to be equestrian. Just ask Khalid Al-Eid. The veteran rider, of course, was the Sydney Games bronze medalist. He begged off for the Beijing Games although he represented Saudi Arabia along with Ramzi Al-Duhami in the equestrian competition of the Olympic Games in Athens in 2004.
Al-Duhami will be back for Beijing, where he is expected to play an inspirational role for the Saudi equestrian team. Except for Al-Duhami and another Olympian, Kamal Bahamdan, the rest of the team members including Prince Abdullah ibn Miteb are first timers in the Olympics.
All six riders on the team are now deep in training in various parts of Europe. There will be four regular riders and one reserve when the final lineup is submitted to the Beijing Games Organizing Committee.
“We, of course, hope for the best. And if anything unexpected happens such as winning a medal we would be very fortunate though the road to the medal is totally unpredictable,” Al-Duhami said.
Beijing will mark Al-Duhami’s fourth Olympics, underscoring his vast wealth of experience that should redound to his country’s campaign in the Aug. 8-24 summer games. Al-Duhami managed to qualify after meeting the required points at the Nations’ Cup in Rotterdam, Netherlands in mid June.
“Though the young riders might be excited to finally qualify for the Olympics, we have to ensure them they are not expected to bring a medal because we understand the difficulties they have been through and the differences between competing in an Arab or Asian level and in an Olympic level,” he said.
“We can not underestimate the riders because they have been working hard, very hard and could spring a surprise but they must not pressure themselves because this would distract them.”
Al-Duhami says his expectations are high on Prince Abdullah, who is training in Belgium, to deliver Olympic glory for the Kingdom in this event.
He stressed, “no matter how they do, I really hope they would benefit from this experience and learn as much as they could in order to avoid mistakes in the future.” What matters he said, “is that we improve or maintain our level of performance even if the horses we have sometimes do not allow us to progress.”
Prince Abdullah and his horse, Ashkur Allah (I thank God), have been following a training program for well over a year, according to Al-Duhami.
The youthful Prince Faisal Al-Shallan is training in Germany, Abdullah Al-Sharbatly in Holland, and Adnan Al-Baytouni in France.
Fahad Al-Eid came on board with Douresh after winning the Falcon Fal Championship in Belgium on June 30. The venue for equestrian is in Hong Kong, where all players are expected to meet up several days before the competition.
Al-Sharbatly’s story is particularly inspiring. He underwent a delicate surgery after falling from his horse thrice and after a full recovery won four championships and qualified for the Olympics with his horse Hugo all in a span of a few months.
Speaking about what keeps them motivated Al-Duhami said he still remembers when the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah was Crown Prince in 1997 and was watching him winning the gold in the Arab Games in Lebanon.
“He was indeed like a father watching his son with tears in his eyes. We could never let him down,” said Al-Duhami who is a well credentialed athlete having won gold medals in most of the Arab and Asian championships in addition to the World Cup for Amateurs.
The king’s support and the support of the president of the Saudi Equestrian Federation Prince Nawaf ibn Faisal and his deputy Prince Abdullah ibn Fahd as well as Prince Abdullah ibn Miteb are chief in building confidence and the determination to succeed in the riders, Al-Duhami said.
