Members of the UAE Jiu-Jitsu national team celebrate on the podium.

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

The UAE Jiu-Jitsu national team delivered an impressive performance at the Grand Prix Thailand Open 2024 over the weekend, securing 15 medals, including five gold, three silver, and seven bronze.

The event, held in Bangkok, is considered an ideal preparation for the team ahead of major international events, particularly the Jiu-Jitsu World Championship in Greece in November.

The opening day of the championship was dedicated to the women’s category, where our national team showcased a strong performance, continuing their impressive showing from the Jiu-Jitsu Asian Championship in Abu Dhabi in May. Standing out among the winners was Balqees Alhashmi who clinched the gold medal for the UAE in the -54 kg division, Aysha Alshamsi (-45 kg) earned a silver medal for the team, while Asma Alhosani (-52 kg), Shamma Alkalbani (-63 kg), and Maitha Shraim (-48 kg) secured bronze medals.

The male athletes who took the mats on the second day were equally good, collectively capturing ten medals.  Khalid Alblooshi (-62 kg), Mahdi Alawlaqi (-77kg), Saeed Alkubaisi (-85 kg) and Omar Alsuwaidi (-56 kg) secured gold on Sunday. Mayed Alshehhi (-62 kg) and Rashed Alshehhi (-56 kg) won silver, while Hazza Farhan (+94 kg), Saeed Alketbi (-56 kg), Sultan Alhosani (-77 kg), and Mohamed Alsuwaidi (-69 kg) took bronze.

Mohamed Salem Al Dhaheri, Vice Chairman of the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation (UAEJJF), noted that participating in the Grand Prix Thailand Open 2024 achieved the intended results in terms of performance and assessing the team’s readiness for major upcoming events.

“This year’s Grand Prix Thailand Open featured intense competition with many international stars, raising the championship’s overall level. Our national team’s performance was commendable, with athletes reaching the podium in multiple weight categories. This success reflects the hard work and tireless efforts of our technical staff in developing the competitors’ skills and the complete commitment of our athletes to perform their best on the mat.

“Competing against the world’s top athletes significantly enhanced our team’s experience, providing valuable insights that will enrich their preparations for upcoming championships. It also highlighted areas for improvement, ensuring that the team emerges stronger and more determined to win future titles.”

Yasser Alqubaisi, the team administrator, noted that the performance of the team proves the UAEJJF’s strategies in selecting championships that offer valuable opportunities for competing with top international athletes are effective.

“We made sure to include experienced athletes as well as talented fresh faces in the national team, and they have proven their potential. This is part of the UAEJJF’s efforts to expand our roster across various weight categories and boost our competitiveness on the international stage. We are confident that these new talents will continue to develop, grow, and gain the experience needed to reach the podium in future competitions.”

Khalid Alblooshi, who won the gold medal in the men’s -62 kg, said, “We are thrilled with our performance today and proud to win a good number of medals despite the tough competition. We look forward to keeping up this strong performance, using this experience to continue our physical and mental development.”

Balqees Alhashmi, the gold medallist in the women’s -54 kg, added: “I’m proud to have reached the podium. Our hard work and intense preparations paid off. We’ll keep training with the same determination, especially for the Jiu-Jitsu World Championship in Greece to maintain our title for the fifth year in a row. We will continue to train harder to perform well and sustain the nation’s successful journey on international platforms.”