Royal Endurance Team captain finishes second in 161.8km Portugal race

TDT | Manama

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His Highness Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa finished second in the 161.8-kilometre Portugal International Endurance Race as he continued his preparations for this year’s World Endurance Championship.

The six-stage event served as an international qualifier for the global showpiece and attracted riders from several countries.

Belgium’s Louna Schuiten claimed victory, with Shaikh Nasser crossing the finish in second for Bahrain’s Royal Endurance Team.

UAE rider Salem Mohammed Al Ketbi took third place, followed by Saudi Arabia’s Faisal Mohammed Al Qurashi in fourth, while Shaikh Nasser’s teammate Abdulrahman Khalid Al Khatri finished fifth.

The result represents another important step towards the FEI Endurance World Championship, which will be held at Butheeb International Endurance Village in Abu Dhabi from December 14 to 20. The main 160km championship ride is scheduled for December 19.

For Shaikh Nasser, however, the podium carried significance beyond qualification.

The Royal Endurance Team captain suffered a fracture after falling from his horse during the Summer Spirit Race in Slovakia this July. He had warned fellow riders about the uneven ground moments before he fell.

Despite the injury, he continued for the remaining nine kilometres. After losing movement in his arm, Shaikh Nasser pinned it in place and rode one-handed, before beginning to drift in and out of consciousness as he made his way to the finish.

Looking back on the incident after his latest result, Shaikh Nasser wrote on social media: “The fall was never the end of the story. I fell, I got hurt, I rebuilt, and I came back to stand on the podium again.

“The lesson is simple. Falling doesn’t defeat you, quitting does.”

Shaikh Nasser, His Majesty the King’s Representative for Humanitarian Work and Youth Affairs, said international qualifiers such as the Portugal race are an important part of completing the team’s requirements for December’s championship.

He added that the Royal Endurance Team will continue its programme in the coming months, focusing on preparing its riders and horses for the challenges ahead.