The UAE's jiu-jitsu team concluded a hugely successful campaign at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026, finishing with eight medals which included a record five golds, two silvers and one bronze.
The UAE's strong performance at the Games was led by Balqees Al Hashmi (women’s 48kg), Khaled Al Shehhi (men’s 62kg), Ahmed Andeez (men’s 69kg), Mahdi Al Awlaqi (men’s 77kg) and Asma Al Hosani (women’s 52kg). Al Anoud Al Harbi (women’s 48kg) and Omar Al Suwaidi (men’s 62kg) won silver, while Amaar Al Hosani (men’s 94kg) claimed bronze.
The UAE thus continued their remarkable growth in the sport. The team won two jiu-jitsu gold medals at the 2018 Jakarta Games and four at Hangzhou 2023 before securing a record five at Aichi-Nagoya.
Al Shehhi, who won gold by defeating compatriot Al Suwaidi, said he was proud to be a part of a victorious contingent.
“I am proud to have won my second consecutive title on my second Asian Games appearance. This is an important milestone in my career. I dedicate this gold to the UAE’s leadership, my family, my coach and my national teammates. This medal is the start of a long journey of hard work," he said.
“The pride I felt when our national anthem played on the podium is hard to describe. It was about more than winning gold. I was part of a delegation that brought joy to the people of the UAE and turned our ambitions into results. I will keep working hard to achieve more in the years ahead.”
Al Harbi, who lost in an all-Emirati final to Balqees, said the UAE is becoming a force to be reckoned with in jiu-jitsu.
“I am delighted to have won a medal on my Asian Games debut. The all-Emirati final showed how far jiu-jitsu has developed in the UAE and how many talented male and female athletes we have who can compete at the highest level," she said.
“This silver medal will motivate me to keep working towards gold at future competitions and contribute to the UAE’s continued success. I want to help strengthen our position in Asia and internationally, in line with the federation’s ambitions and the standing the UAE has earned in the sport.”
The final day of competition was attended by Shihab Ahmed Mohamed Abdulrahim Al Faheem, UAE ambassador to Japan, Mohamed Salem Al Dhaheri, vice-chairman of the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation, Yousef Abdullah Al Batran, board member of UAEJJF, and others.
Al Dhaheri lauded the team for successful campaign in Japan, stating: “Our participation was successful in every respect, and we achieved the targets we set before the competition. We dedicate this achievement to the UAE’s leadership, whose support has made sporting success possible. These results came from careful planning, consistent work and the efforts of our athletes, coaches and administrative staff."
