Pg Mohd Nasir Pg Anak Ja'afar's Guangzhou Asian Games campaign came to a memorable end yesterday when he finished 11th in the equestrian Individual Jumping final.

Just one spot away from a Top-10 finish in the biggest event of his life, the 21-year-old said it has been a whirlwind journey for him at the 16th edition of the world's second largest multi-sport event.

"I am definitely happy and satisfied with my result," he told The Brunei Times yesterday.

"At the last fence at the end of the second round ... I couldn't express how happy I was and to have come this far in the competition is beyond my expectations.

"In the first round I had a couple of small mistakes which cost me ... but apart from that I'm happy.

"My horse Rudolf Z was just fantastic and he was really jumping his heart out and fighting today (Wednesday).

"I got the feeling with him that he knew today was the day," added the 2009 Merdeka Team Cup champion.

Marking Brunei's debut in the sport at the Asian Games, Pg Mohd Nasir had nine penalties in the first round at the Guangzhou Equestrian Venue, with two fences down and one time penalty.

It was just enough for him to qualify for the second round though, finishing joint-16 among the 18 best riders from the first round.

He had one fence down and four penalties in the second round for a total of 13 penalties.

Japan's Daisuke Mizuyama finished 10th with 12 penalties, going to show just how close Pg Mohd Nasir was to a Top-10 finish.

Pg Mohd Nasir progressed to the final round after finishing joint-20th among the 33 riders who advanced from the qualifiers on Monday.

The medals had to be decided in a jump off after three riders finished with no penalties and just one fence down in the second round of China's first-ever international equestrian event.

In the end Saudi Arabia's Ramzy Hamad al-Duhami and Bayard V Devilla T won gold after escaping with no penalties and just one fence down.

The United Arab Emirates' Sheikha Latifa Al Maktoum and Kalaska de Semily finished with silver after no penalties and two fences down while Saudi Arabia's Khaled Abdulaziz Al Eid and Presley Boy took bronze after eight penalties and three fences down.

When asked what his immediate plans were Pg Mohd Nasir said that a short break was in order.

"I will send Rudolf Z back to Belgium and I will go back to Brunei and each of us will have a holiday," he said of the steer he has been riding since mid-March.

Pg Mohd Nasir added that he will get back to training in January and only resume his Business and Management course at Brunel University in England in September.

"Now is a gap year for me and I want to use the time I have left to keep on riding," he said.

Karate-do's Muhammad Fida'iy Hj Sanif (men's kumite -60kg) and his older brother Mohammad Fadillah (men's kumite -67kg) are next in line to see competition today.

Mainudin Hj Mohamad (men's kumite -75kg) and Mohammad Jamil Hj Abd Hamid (men's kumite -84kg) will close out the country's participation tomorrow.

Courtesy from Brunei Times