ABU DHABI: Asma Al-Hosani, Balqees Al-Hashmi and Shamma Al-Kalbani struck gold as the UAE made an impressive start to the Adult division at the 2026 Jiu-Jitsu World Championship on Thursday at Mubadala Arena in Abu Dhabi.
The three gold headlined a five-medal haul for the UAE, which included two silver, taking the national team’s overall tally at the championship to 57.
Hosted by the UAE Jiu-Jitsu and Mixed Martial Arts Federation and organized by the Jiu-Jitsu International Federation, the championship runs until Aug. 9 and has brought together more than 1,500 athletes from around the world.
Al-Hosani won gold in the under-52 kg division, Al-Hashmi topped the under-48 kg category, and Al-Kalbani claimed the under-63 kg title. Maryam Al-Ali (under-45 kg) and Al-Anoud Al-Harbi (under-48 kg) completed the UAE’s medal haul with silver medals.
Yousef Abdullah Al-Batran, board member of the UAE federation, said: “Our athletes showed how much women’s jiu-jitsu has grown in the UAE.
“They competed with confidence against some of the world’s best athletes in a competition of the highest standard. These medals are especially important because they were won in the Adult division against strong international opponents.”
He added: “We hope these results will inspire them to achieve even more success in the future. Our goal is not just to win medals but to continue strengthening the UAE’s position in jiu-jitsu on the world stage.”
After her win, Al-Kalbani said: “I had three tough matches today, but thankfully I was able to win all of them.
“We have been training continuously since the Asian Championship two weeks ago to make sure we arrived at the World Championship in the best possible condition.
“I am very happy to have won another gold medal for the UAE. Competing at home in front of our fans gave me extra motivation to perform at my best.”
Al-Hosani dedicated her victory to Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, president of the UAE, as well as her family and nation’s people.
“Winning on home soil makes this achievement even more special and motivates me to keep working hard and achieve even more success for my country,” she said.
The championship continues on Friday with the Adult men’s competition, as the UAE National Team continue their pursuit of a seventh consecutive world title.
