UAE Muay Thai Team Achieves Three Medals At Islamic Solidarity Games In Riyadh

The UAE Muay Thai national team excelled at the sixth Islamic Solidarity Games in Riyadh, securing three medals. Among 3,000 athletes from 57 countries competing in 14 sports, Mohammed Mardi clinched gold in the 65–70kg category. Zainab Bu Hamada earned silver in the 50–55kg division, and Ilyas Habibali Ali took bronze in the 75–80kg category.

Abdullah Saeed Al Neyadi, Vice President of the International Federation of Muay Thai and President of various Muay Thai Federations, commended the team's achievements. He stated that these results highlight the sport's growing prominence and reflect the athletes' dedication. Al Neyadi emphasised that this success stems from a well-planned national strategy.

The UAE delegation has now accumulated a total of 11 medals, surpassing their previous tally of 10 from the last edition held in Konya, Türkiye. The country currently ranks 15th with two golds, one silver, and eight bronze medals. Türkiye leads with an impressive count of 105 medals, followed by Uzbekistan with 49. The Arab Republic of Egypt is leading among Arab nations with a fifth-place finish and a total of 29 medals.

Mardi expressed that winning gold involved overcoming tough matches. He shared that raising the UAE flag was his biggest motivation throughout the competition. Mardi extended his gratitude to the UAE Muay Thai and Kickboxing Federation, along with his coaches and delegation members for their unwavering support.

Al Neyadi also highlighted the crucial contributions made by technical staff, administrators, and families in supporting the team. He believes these accomplishments are pivotal for UAE’s national teams and provide significant momentum for nurturing young talent. This success further strengthens UAE's position as a global centre for martial arts.

The achievements at these games not only reflect individual excellence but also underline collective efforts towards enhancing sports stature in the region. The focus remains on developing future talents while maintaining strong performances on international platforms.

With inputs from WAM