Thailand retain Jiu-Jitsu Asian Championship title

Abu Dhabi: Thailand successfully defended their crown at the eighth Jiu-Jitsu Asian Championship, held at the Mubadala Arena in Zayed Sports City, Abu Dhabi, accumulating an impressive total of 11 gold medals. As the adult division competitions concluded on Sunday, the UAE continued their dominance in the Jiu-Jitsu discipline and secured the title for the fourth consecutive year.

On Sunday, the final day of the adult competition, the UAE Jiu-Jitsu National Team delivered a stellar performance, adding seven more medals to their tally.

With a total of 18 medals, including 6 gold, 7 silver, and 5 bronze, they maintained their stronghold in Jiu-Jitsu category. Hazza Farhan (+94kg), Saeed Alkubaisi (85 kg), and Shamma Al Kalbani (63) secured gold for the hosts, on Sunday while Faraj Alawlaqi (85kg), Bashayer Almatrooshi (63kg) and Abdullah Alkubaisi (94kg) claimed silver. Ammar Al Hosani (94kg) won bronze.

Impressive showing

Thailand’s outstanding performance enabled them to retain their title from the previous year, earning 13 gold, 7 silver, and 7 bronze medals across various disciplines such as Duo-Classic, Show, Jiu-Jitsu, and Jiu-Jitsu Fighting. Kazakhstan secured second place with 46 medals, including 12 gold, 18 silver, and 16 bronze.

Despite competing only in the Jiu-Jitsu discipline, the UAE Jiu-Jitsu National Team’s impressive showing earned them a commendable third-place finish overall.

The championship will run until May 8.

Mohamed Salem Al Dhaheri praised the national team for securing the continental title in Jiu-Jitsu for the fourth consecutive year. “The Jiu-Jitsu National Team’s victory in the Jiu-Jitsu Asian Championship underscores the dedication and sacrifices of our athletes and technical staff across all levels over the past weeks. Their exceptional performance throughout the three days of competition culminated in another title win, reaffirming their continental dominance over the strongest Asian teams.”

Al Dhaheri highlighted that the high level of competition witnessed during the Jiu-Jitsu Asian Championship reflects unprecedented growth in terms of the development of the sport of jiu-jitsu.

Chanchai Suksuwan, President of the Jiu-Jitsu Association of Thailand, expressed his satisfaction with his team’s performance during the Jiu-Jitsu Asian Championship.

“Our team has been performing incredibly well. This is all the work we have done over the last few years to promote the sport and athletes in our country, which has brought the desired results. We have high hopes for the youth competitions as well.

Bigger and bigger

“Jiu-jitsu is getting bigger and bigger every year in Thailand, which has hosted some of the major events such as the previous edition of the Jiu-Jitsu Asian Championship as well as the Thailand Jiu-Jitsu Grand Prix. We are working closely with the Jiu-Jitsu Asian Union and the Jiu-Jitsu International Federation to bring more events to our country.”

Falah Alansery, coach of the Iraqi national youth jiu-jitsu team, expressed his satisfaction with their participation in the Jiu-Jitsu Asian Championship in the UAE, stating that he considers Abu Dhabi as his second home.

“The Iraqi Jiu-Jitsu Federation is dedicated to promoting the sport within our country, and we have adopted a comprehensive approach to its advancement over the coming years. Our primary focus is on establishing National Teams across different age groups capable of competing on both continental and international stages.”

Hazza Farhan, who scooped gold for the UAE in the Adults Jiu-Jitsu Male +94kg, said: “It’s truly an indescribable feeling to witness our relentless hard work culminate in success. I dedicate this medal to the wise leadership of the UAE, our fans, our dedicated technical staff, and our supportive colleagues.”

Shamma Al Kalbani who bagged gold in Adults Jiu-Jitsu Female -63kg, added: “We exerted additional effort during training to prepare ourselves to adapt to the conditions of the competition and smoothly transition between offensive and defensive techniques. These techniques have proved invaluable during the competition. This is a moment I will cherish for a long time.”

Phung Thi Hue of Vietnam, who secured gold in the Adults Jiu-Jitsu Fighting Female -45kg category, said: “Winning gold at the Jiu-Jitsu Asian Championship is an honour and a significant achievement that will be remembered for years to come. This championship sets global standards for excellence, and I am glad I could be a part of it and win a medal.”