The UAE national team raises its tally to 40 medals in the Asian Jiu-Jitsu Championship in Almaty

Almaty, 16 July / WAM / The UAE National Jiu-Jitsu Team, sponsored by Mubadala Investment Company, continued its brilliance in the third edition of the Asian Jiu-Jitsu Championship for Youth and Juniors, at the Almaty Arena in the Kazakh city of Almaty, after strengthening its score by winning 13 new medals in the under-21 competitions, with 8 golds, 2 silvers and 3 bronzes, confirming its strong presence on the continental scene. And its continued superiority across all age groups.

Gold medals were won by Dana Al-Bariki in the under-45 kg, Al-Anoud Al-Harbi in the under-48 kg, Aisha Al-Junaibi in the under-63 kg, Abdul Rahman Al-Najjar in the under-94 kg, Obaid Al-Ketbi in the under-56 kg, Abdul Rahman Abdul-Haqq in the under-62 kg, Ahmed Andes in the under-69 kg, and Abdulaziz Al-Aqidi in the under-77 kg.

Maryam Al-Ali won silver in the under-45 kg category, Abdul Rahman Sayedna won a silver in the under-56 kg category, while Mira Al-Hosani won a bronze in the under-48 kg category, Faisal Al-Wahidi won a bronze in the under-69 kg category, and Dhiab Al-Junaibi won a bronze in the under-94 kg category.

The team’s results were the result of an outstanding technical performance characterized by tactical discipline and mental readiness, after the male and female players succeeded in dealing efficiently with the various methods of competitors, and managing the course of the matches with awareness and confidence, while achieving a balance between offensive initiative, maintaining advantage, and making appropriate decisions in decisive moments.

The results of the under-21 competitions raised the total tally of the UAE national team in the tournament to 40 medals, with 15 gold, 9 silver, and 16 bronze, after previously winning 27 medals in the under-16 and 18-year-old competitions.

Mubarak Saleh Al Menhali, Director of the Technical Department at the UAE Jiu-Jitsu and Mixed Martial Arts Federation, confirmed that the results achieved by the team in the under-21 competitions reflect the quality of the preparation programs adopted by the federation, and confirm the players’ ability to employ their technical and mental expertise against an elite group of the continent’s most prominent players.

He said: “This category represents an important stage for the players, as their responsibilities expand during the fight, and the player is required to read the opponent, manage his energy, and make the appropriate decision under pressure. Our players demonstrated an advanced level of technical and mental maturity, in addition to their keenness to continue developing in preparation for the transition to the adult category with the best preparation.”

He added: “We work according to an integrated system that ensures the gradual development of players from the junior stages to the elite levels. The continental championships constitute a basic station for evaluating performance, measuring the level of progress, and identifying aspects that require further development. We will subject this participation to a comprehensive technical analysis in order to benefit from its outcomes in preparing the players for future benefits.”

For his part, Samuel Araujo, the national team’s coach, confirmed that the technical staff developed a special vision for each confrontation in accordance with the characteristics of the competitors and the scenarios of the fights, while giving the players space to make decisions according to the variables of the competition.

He explained that the ability of the players to implement technical transformations and maintain the balance of performance in the intervening moments contributed directly to reaching the final rounds and achieving this harvest, pointing out that the technical gains achieved by the team are no less important than the number of medals, because of the indicators they provide that contribute to the development of individual preparation programs and raising the players’ readiness for future achievements.

Obaid Al Ketbi, who won the gold medal in the under-56 kg weight category, said: “I dealt with each fight as a series of decisions that required calm and precision, and I did not allow the pressure of the result or time to affect the plan that we had prepared… This medal gives me great motivation to continue working and assume greater responsibility during the next stage.”

For her part, Dana Al-Bariki, who won the gold medal in the under-45 kg weight category, confirmed that the victory was the result of long preparation and daily commitment in training and camps. She said: “I entered the tournament with clear goals, and the biggest challenge was maintaining focus and finding appropriate solutions at every stage of the fight. I dedicate this achievement to the UAE, and I look forward to continuing to represent it in the best way in the upcoming competitions.”

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