Japan wins eventing team and individual gold at Asian Games
Japan came away on top from the Eventing Championships at the Asian Games last weekend.
The country claimed team and individual gold at the event, which took place in Guangzhou, China (18-20 November).
The team included Yoshiaki Oiwa, Kenki Sato, Atsushi Negishi and Takayui Yumira.
Buddist monk Kenki Sato won the individual title with Toy Boy.
He was lying second after the dressage and added nothing further to his score, taking the individual prize ahead of Korea’s Jai Sik Cheon.
Sato’s team-mate Yoshiaki Oiwa took individual bronze.
In the team competition Japan finished with a 26-point lead over the silver medallists from Thailand. China claimed bronze, beating Hong Kong by just 0.3 points.
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Thirty riders from seven nations — China, Korea, Hong Kong, Japan, Kazakhstan, Qatar and Thailand — contested the event.
Kenki Sato has been riding since he was seven years old.
“I like riding, and do what monks normally do, and I take both seriously,” said the 26-year-old who has completed a year’s study at the Buddhist monastery where his father is the clerical leader.
“My monk identification goes quite well with riding, and I am quite good at both,” he added.
“I would like to thank my horse — we two have been supporting each other all the way here.”
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A graduate of Exeter University, Amy joined our news team from Redpin Publishing in 2008 as news writer. She was promoted to deputy news editor in May 2013 and became news editor in April 2015. She left Horse & Hound in March 2016 to take up an editorial position in Dubai.