UAE national team medal tally swells in Thailand

The UAE under-18 girls’ jiu-jitsu national team, sponsored by Mubadala Investment Company, delivered a strong performance at the 2025 World Championship (U16, U18, U21), taking place in Bangkok, Thailand, from Nov.10 to 14.

The Emirati girls impressed on Tuesday, adding four more medals to the country’s tally, including one gold, one silver and two bronze.

Aysha Mohamed Aljneibi won gold in the 63kg category, while Fatema Jamal Alghafri took silver in the 40kg division. Haira Aldhaheri earned bronze in the same category, and Fatema Alkathiri added bronze in the 44kg division after a series of tough matches.

Mubarak Saleh Al Menhali, Director of the Technical Department at the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation, praised the team’s performance, saying the results reflect the strong support Emirati women receive from the country’s leadership and the Federation’s commitment to developing future champions.

He said, “The results today show how much jiu-jitsu has progressed in the UAE. The girls showed confidence, focus and tactical awareness, which reflect the quality of the Federation’s training programmes.

“Thanks to the support of our leadership and the Federation’s vision, Emirati women are playing a key role in building the country’s sporting success.”

He added, “What we’re seeing now is the result of years of hard work and training from a young age. The performances in Bangkok show the girls’ dedication and discipline, and highlight how far women’s sports in the UAE have come.”

Gold medallist Aljneibi said, “Raising the UAE flag on the podium is the proudest moment of my life. My family’s support means a lot to me, and the school jiu-jitsu programme helped me build confidence and improve both on and off the mat.”

The championship continues, with the under-21 men’s division, where the UAE athletes will look to continue their strong performances and add to the country’s growing medal tally at the 2025 World Jiu-Jitsu Championship (U16, U18, U21).

Earlier, the UAE jiu-jitsu national team (U16) raised their total medal tally to 11 at the championship – U16-U18-U21. The achievement comes after the girls’ under-16 team added four new medals, including one silver and three bronze, to the seven medals won by the boys team on the opening day.

Sara Farook won silver in the 48 kg category, while Mathail Alhammadi and Ghaiaheb Alrashdi earned bronze in the 36 kg division, and Maitha Alkarbi claimed bronze in the 40 kg division.

Abdulla Al Zaabi, Director of Marketing and Corporate Communications at the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation, praised the impressive performance and steady progress shown by the Emirati girls on the second day of competition.

He said their skill, confidence and discipline highlight the continued development of women’s jiu-jitsu in the UAE, supported by the vision of the nation’s leadership and the Federation’s commitment to nurturing Emirati talent.

He said, “This strong start gives us great motivation to maintain our momentum in the under-18 and under-21 categories and to increase our medal tally further. It also reinforces the UAE’s standing among the leading jiu-jitsu nations on the world stage.”

Sara Farook, who won silver in the 48 kg category, said, “Standing on the podium at the 2025 World Championship and winning silver is a dream come true.