UAE Women's Jiu-Jitsu Team Achieves Three Medals At World Championship In Bangkok

The UAE Jiu-Jitsu National Team began impressively at the Jiu-Jitsu World Championship in Bangkok. The country's female athletes secured three medals on the first day, competing against top international opponents. Asma Al Hosani won gold in the -52kg category, dedicating her victory to the UAE. Aysha Al Shamsi took silver in the -45kg division, while Balqees Abdulkareem earned bronze in the same category.

The championship is hosted at Bangkok's Huamark Indoor Stadium, showcasing a strong international lineup across various categories, including Under-21, Under-18, Under-16, and Under-14. The UAE team consists of 110 athletes participating in multiple divisions. This event highlights the UAE's growing influence in global jiu-jitsu competitions.

Mohamed Salem Al Dhaheri praised the team's performance, stating that these initial medals will motivate athletes for the rest of the championship. He attributed their success to the support from UAE leadership and guidance from Abdulmunem Alsayed Mohammed Alhashmi, Chairman of the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation. Families and partners also play a crucial role in this achievement.

Mubarak Saleh Al Menhali acknowledged the high level of competition at the event. "The championship features some of the best athletes in the world," he noted. While pleased with their performance, he mentioned that more focus could have led to even better results. He remains confident about winning more medals in upcoming days.

Gold medallist Asma Al Hosani expressed pride in representing her country. "This medal means a lot to me," she said. Her toughest match was against a Ukrainian champion, which went into a golden point round after a draw. It required nearly four minutes of intense focus to secure her win.

Silver medallist Aysha Al Shamsi shared her happiness with her result and gained valuable experience from competing at this level. She sees it as an important milestone motivating her to push harder in future competitions.

Future Competitions

Bronze medallist Balqees Abdulkareem aimed for gold but acknowledged that every second matters in jiu-jitsu. She learned valuable lessons from this championship and is determined to improve her skills further.

The UAE women's team continues its campaign tomorrow in -63kg and -70kg divisions. Meanwhile, Emirati athlete Omar Al Suwaidi will compete as men's events begin with anticipation building among sports fans back home.

The strong start by UAE women underscores progress made by their jiu-jitsu programme through investment in talent development and world-class facilities producing champions internationally.

With inputs from WAM