India win team Bronze after re-calculation in Equestrian event

Doha, Dec 8 (UNI) After initially declared fourth, India was adjudged the Bronze medal winner in the team event, while Bhagirath Singh missed a podium finish by a whisker after finishing fourth in the individual event of the equestrian competition of the 15th Asian Games here today.

The original result stated India finishing fourth with 244.90 collective penalty points, behind Qatar (182), Japan (204.10) and Indonesia (230.20).

After re-calculation, Indonesia's total penalty point was re-estimated at 246.20 and the organisers declared India as the Bronze medal winner.

The Indian quartet of Bhagirath Singh, Deep Kumar Ahlawat, Palvinder Singh and Rajesh Pattu in fact could have finished even up but for the poor form of Ahlawat, who had the highest penalty point against his name.

In the individual event, Bhagirath was unlucky to miss the Bronze.

Japan's Yoshiaki Oiwa won the individual Gold with just 44.50 penalty points, while Qatar's Abdullah Ali Abdulla Al Ejail (46.70) claimed the Silver with a penalty-free final jumping run, with Husref Jeremiah (57.30) of Malaysia finishing third.

Bhagirath, riding on his horse Guddu, totalled 61.20 after 58.80 penalty points in dressage and 2.40 in cross-country. Though he impressed with a penalty-free jumping run, that was too little and too late and his total saw him just missing a podium finish.

Among his compatriots, Rajesh Pattu (61.80) finished sixth and Deep Kumar Ahlawat (121.90) came 24th after three days of dressage, cross-country and show jumping.

All the riders wore black armbands today to mourn the death of South Korean rider Kim Hyung-chil who was crushed under the weight of his horse at the Doha Racing and Equestrian Club yesterday.

Korea later withdrew from the remainder of the competition.

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