ASTANA, 24th August, 2023 (WAM) — The UAE National Jiu-Jitsu Team, sponsored by Mubadala Investment Company, continued their historic run at the JJIF World Championship YOUTH 2023 in Astana, Kazakhstan, claiming eight more medals in the men’s Under-18 divisions on Wednesday.
Hazza Alhassani (81 kg) and Ammar Alhammadi (50 kg) grabbed gold, taking the nation’s overall tally to 31. The UAE has, so far, won eight gold, seven silver, and 16 bronze medals.
Wednesday saw competitions for men’s Under-18s, where the national team grabbed two gold, two silver, and four bronze medals. Abdul Rahman Mohammed (55 kg) and Abdulla Ahmed Aldarmaki (+81 kg) made the defending champions look strong, grabbing silver. Mohamed Alawlaqi (66 kg), Rashed Aldhaheri (60 kg), Majid Alblooshi (46kg), and Ghaith Alharbi (50 kg) picked up bronze medals.
Mohamed Salem Al Dhaheri, Deputy Chairman of the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation and head of the National Team’s delegation, praised the great performance of the Under18 team. “The achievements of our champions are the result of the great support and vision of our wise leadership, which contributed to the UAE’s global leadership in jiu-jitsu and producing talents capable of competing and excelling on the global stage,” he said.
“We are proud of the love, responsibility, and unwavering desire of this generation to represent the country in various forums and to honour the nation in the biggest tournaments. They do so through sacrifice, commitment to training, thorough preparation, and by fully utilising the internal and external camps organised by the Federation throughout the year,” he added.
Al Dhaheri also commended the efforts of the National Team’s technical staff and coaches, who are dedicated to translating the Federation’s plans into reality by selecting talents capable of continuous development, representing the nation, and achieving remarkable feats.
Mubarak Saleh Al Menhali, Director of the Technical Department at the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation, commented, “The National Team is moving in the right direction even in the face of tough competition and challenging conditions. Our athletes have undergone thorough preparation to excel in the most demanding matchups and showcase exceptional performances.
“The last day of the competitions is crucial towards increasing the country’s medals tally. We place great trust in the capabilities of our Under-21 category athletes to replicate their outstanding performance from last month’s competition in Mongolia. Our focus is to perform well and further solidify the UAE’s position at the forefront of the global jiu-jitsu.”
The Under-21 category competitions will take place tomorrow, the final day of the tournament.