ABU DHABI: The UAE’s jiu-jitsu national team concluded an outstanding campaign at the third Jiu-Jitsu Asian Youth Championship and the 10th Jiu-Jitsu Asian Championship, held in Almaty, Kazakhstan, from July 13 to 19, winning 55 medals across the U-16, U-18, U-21 and adult categories. The team finished with 20 gold, 15 silver and 20 bronze medals.
The highlight of the UAE’s campaign came in the adults’ competition, in which the team successfully retained the Asian title after finishing top of the overall standings, claiming five gold, six silver and four bronze medals, reaffirming their dominance against the continent’s strongest teams at the highest level of competition.
The adults’ team’s tally included nine medals in the men’s competition — three gold, five silver and one bronze — and six in the women’s competition — two gold, one silver and three bronze. The combined performances of both teams secured the overall title for the UAE.
In the Asian Youth Championship, the UAE’s U-16 team opened the campaign with 15 medals, including three gold, five silver and seven bronze. The U-18 team added 12 medals — four gold, two silver and six bronze — while the U-21 team recorded the highest number of gold medals among all age categories, winning 13 medals, including eight gold, two silver and three bronze.
The team’s success across all four categories reflects the strength of the UAE’s athlete development pathway, which continues to prepare athletes at every age level and produce competitors capable of progressing to the senior national team and competing successfully at the highest level.
Yousef Abdullah Al-Batran, a board member of the UAE Jiu-Jitsu and Mixed Martial Arts Federation, said: “The results across all categories confirm the strength of this pathway and its ability to provide the senior national team with athletes ready to represent the UAE.
“We are proud of what our athletes, coaches and administrative staff have achieved, as well as the team spirit that united the entire delegation around one goal: raising the UAE flag and strengthening the country's leadership in Asian jiu-jitsu.
“As we close this successful Asian campaign, our full focus now shifts to the Jiu-Jitsu World Championship, which Abu Dhabi will host next month. We will use the coming weeks to further strengthen our preparations and build on the technical lessons from this championship to ensure the team enters the World Championship fully prepared and delivers performances that reflect the stature of the event and Abu Dhabi’s position as a global capital of jiu-jitsu.”
Saif Al-Baloushi, who won the under-48 kg gold medal in the U-18 category, said: “We entered the competition after the strong start made by our U-16 teammates, and our goal was to maintain the team’s momentum and add to its medal tally. Our team spirit helped us deal with the pressure of the championship, and every UAE medal gave the rest of us extra motivation before our contests.”
Meanwhile, Aisha Al-Jneibi, who won the under-63 kg gold medal in the U-21 category, said: “This stage requires greater independence in reading each contest and making decisions. The U-21 category brings us closer to the senior national team, so every competition is an important opportunity to develop as athletes. I leave this championship with a gold medal and valuable experience that will help me prepare for the next stage of my career.”
Khaled Al-Shehhi, who won the under-62 kg gold medal in the adults’ competition, said winning the adults’ title was the result of a collective effort.
“Every contest and every point played a part in determining our position in the overall standings,” he said. “We approached the championship with that mindset, with every athlete focused on contributing to the team’s success from the very beginning. Winning the Asian title gives us great confidence and increases our responsibility ahead of the World Championship in Abu Dhabi.”
