A valiant and courageous performance marked the debut of the UAE’s women athletes at the Jiu-Jitsu World Championship’s adults category with Wadima Al Yafei, Noor Al Harmoodi, Reem Abdulla and Mariam Alameri taking the mat at the Mubadala Arena in Abu Dhabi. The Jiu-Jitsu World Championship 2019 is organized by the Jiu-Jitsu International Federation and is hosted by the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation.

Though Yafei, Harmoodi, and Alameri all bowed out of the competition without earning any medals, their feisty performances ensured that the UAE Jiu-Jitsu National Team can take heart and aim for a much-improved showing in future international tournaments. Yafei competed in the women’s 45kg category, Harmoodi in the 70kg category, and Alameri in the 70+kg category. This was the first time that the UAE Jiu-Jitsu National Team has participated in the adults female category of the World Championship.   

Yafei who was coming off the back of an U-21 World Championship Gold medal earned just a few days ago, began in strong fashion winning her first bout against compatriot Reem Abdulla. However, despite a bold performance, she was unable to get the better of Thailand’s Kanjutha Phattaraboonsorn, France’s Alexandra Humbert, and The Philippines’ Samantha Francis De La Costa. Harmoodi also began in encouraging fashion but was unable to get past Russia’s Renata Iaukubova and Palestine’s Alia Al Nahawi. Alameri defeated Kazakhstan’s Assel Kabdygalymova but came up short against Marianne Gavino of Mexico.  

Marina Ribeiro, Manager of the UAEJJF Female Training Center, said that though the UAE athletes had performed admirably, the lack of quality international exposure had held them back.

Yafei said that though she had given it her all on the mat, some of the mistakes she made had led to her losses.