Yahia Mansour Al Hammadi and Faisal Al Ketbi lead UAE gold rush at Asian Beach Jiu-Jitsu Championships

The UAE grabbed four gold medals from a possible seven on the final night of the three-day event in Sri Lanka. They added two silver and a bronze to top the medals table for the men. Amith Passela reports.

The UAE's Khalifa Nasarati tries an arm-lock on Dao Hong Son of Vietnam in the No-Gi 56kg final, which he won by points 6-0. Courtesy UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation

NEGOMBO // Faisal Al Ketbi and Yahia Mansour Al Hammadi shared the honours in the inaugural Asian Beach Jiu-Jitsu Championship.

Al Ketbi was adjudged the male player of the championship and Al Hammadi clinched three gold medals in the three-day event, which concluded on Sunday at the Jetwing Hotel beach 40 kilometres from Colombo, Sri Lanka’s capital.

“It’s a great honour to be recognized on the continental stage,” said Al Ketbi, who won gold in both in his weight class in the Gi and No-Gi, and forfeiting a possible third gold to teammate Al Hammadi in the open weight.

“The boys have done quite well in both the Gi and No-Gi competitions yet there is a lot of work to be done for a bigger test waiting for us in Vietnam.”

The championship in Sri Lanka was a dress rehearsal to the Fifth Asian Beach Games in Danang, Vietnam, from September 24 to October 3.

Read more UAE Jiu-jitsu

• UAE's Yahia Al Hammadi completes double gold medal haul at inaugural Asian Beach Jiu-Jitsu Championship

• UAE's Faisal Al Ketbi and Yahia Mansour Al Hammadi secure gold at Asian Beach Jiu-Jitsu Championships

Al Hammadi won three gold medals in three days for the first time in his career.

“One gold I received courtesy from Faisal, but to return with three gold medals was a real honour and something that I’m experiencing for the first time in my jiu-jitsu career,” he said.

“I guess it was my experience and obviously the hunger to win for my team. Now I need to take this momentum forward to Vietnam.”

The UAE topped the men’s medal table in the No-Gi with four gold, two silver and a bronze for men. Pakistan, Korea and Jordan shared the remaining three titles from the seven that were up for grabs.

The UAE also topped the championship for Gi with three gold, four silver and four bronze in the championship that drew 15 countries.

The Emirati won the Over 94-kilogramme final from teammate Ibrahim Al Naqbi to add to his gold won in the Over 94kg and the open weight in the Gi category in the first two days of the championships.

Al Ketbi completed the double by winning the 94kg final from Jordanian Zaid Granduke, defeating him for the third time, in the final of his weight division and in the open weight semi-finals.

Khalifa Nasarati provided the perfect start for the UAE. He got the better of Dao Hong Son of Vietnam on points 6-0 in the 56kg final.

Mohammed Al Qubaisi added the second gold in the 77kg defeating Nurlan Yespolov of Kazakhstan by submission before Al Ketbi and Al Hammadi rounded off with victories for the UAE to end the championship on a high.

Al Ketbi was named the Best Male Player of the Championship and Leyla Keliyeva took the women’s title. The UAE also won the Best Team award while the Best Referee award went to Emirti Jaber Al Derei. Sri Lanka, the host nation, won the award for the Emerging Team.

No-Gi results

Men

56kg: 1. Khalifa Nasarati (UAE); 2. Dao Hong Son (Vie); 3. Awais Ashiq (Pak) and Rafiq Siddique (Pak).

62kg: 1. Jahanzeb Rashed Lone (Pak); 2. Zayed Al Mansouri (UAE); 3. Dovletov Kerimberdi (Tkm) and Mohammed Al Hameli (UAE).

69kg: 1. Kim Young-jun (Kor); 2. Zhanbolat Zakarin (Kaz); 3. Ali Alabd (Irq) and Yusup Tanriberdiyev (Tkm).

77kg: 1. Mohammed Al Qubaisi (UAE); 2. Nurlan Yespolov (Kaz); 3. Babayev Abdylla (Tkm) and Mekan Nurjikov (Tkm).

85kg: 1. Rashed Haidar (Jor); 2. Bae Gi-han (Kor); 3. Andrey Gavrilyuk (Kaz) and Rahat Kurbanov (Tkm).

94kg: 1. Faisal Al Ketbi (UAE); 2. Zaid Granduke (Jor); 3. Mohammed Ali (Kuw) and Myradov Dovran (Tkm).

+94kg: 1. Yahia Mansour Al Hammadi (UAE); 2. Ibrahim Al Naqbi (UAE); 3. Alaa Al Roghani (Irq) and JSK Wikramage (Sri).

Women

45Kg: 1. Dao Le Thu Trang (Vie); 2. Do Thu Ha (Vie); 3. HGWM Chandrasena (Sri) and TAAD Ambasahapitiya (Sri).

49Kg: 1. Duong Thi Thanh Monh (Vie); 2. MP Sandamali (Sri); 3. Ulyana Kudinova (Tkm) and Humaira Ashiq (Pak).

55kg: 1. Lee You-ni (Kor); 2. M. Maryam (Pak); 3. WN Fonseka (Sri) and PAW Nilwala (Sri).

70kg: 1. M. Wimalsena (Sri); 2. Mahri Akmyradova (Tkm); Nguyen Thi Lan (Vie).

+70kg: 1. Lama Qubbaj (Jor); 2. Govher Atdayeva (Tkm); 3. Beenish Khan (Pak) and JSK Wikyamase (Sri).

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