Sharjah Women’s Sports Clubs top Cadet Girls’ category at Arab Open Judo Championship

Sharjah Women’s Sports Clubs claimed the overall first-place trophy in the cadet girls’ category in the club competition at the Arab Open Judo Championship, held in Kuwait recently.

The clubs’ athletes secured nine medals—three gold, five silver, and one bronze—reflecting their continued development and strong presence on the podium at international competitions.

This success followed a strong performance by the clubs’ athletes representing the UAE national team in the national team competition, which preceded the club events. Six athletes took part and won 11 medals—two gold, seven silver, and two bronze—helping the UAE secure first place in the overall cadet girls’ standings.

In the under-40 kg category, Nada Rashid Al Ghafri won gold, while Amna Yousef Mohammed claimed silver. Aisha Ali Hassan secured the second gold in the under-44 kg category, while Hoor Yousef Al Marashdeh won the third in the under-57 kg category.

Meera Ahmed Al Juwaied won silver in the under-48 kg category, while Aisha Hassan Al Mazrouei claimed silver in the under-52 kg category. Sarah Jawhar Musabieh added another silver in the under-63 kg category.

Hessa Abdullah Al Zaabi* secured silver in the under-70 kg category, while Aya Adnan Al Matroushi won bronze in the same weight class, bringing Sharjah Women’s Sports Clubs’ total to nine medals in the cadet girls’ club competition.

Arab Judo Federation Honours Sorya Haddad: On the sidelines of the championship, the Arab Judo Federation honored Algerian Olympic medalist Sorya Haddad, Judo Technical Director at Sharjah Women’s Sports Clubs, in recognition of her sporting career, Olympic and international achievements, and extensive experience in the sport.

The honour was presented by Naaman Shaher, President of the Arab Judo Federation, and captain Yassine Selini, Director of Education and Training. It recognized Haddad’s journey from competing at the highest level to coaching and athlete development.

Today, she draws on her experience to prepare athletes at Sharjah Women’s Sports Clubs, develop their technical and competitive abilities, and pass on her expertise to a new generation of judokas.

Results Reflect a Professional Environment and Athlete Commitment: Haddad: Haddad said the results reflected the athletes’ continued physical, technical, tactical, and psychological development. She credited the success to the combined efforts of the club and its athletes.

“These results confirm our athletes’ continued development and clear progress across all areas: physical, technical, tactical, and psychological. This success is the result of everyone’s combined efforts—the resources and professional environment provided by the club, alongside the athletes’ commitment, discipline, and the considerable sacrifices they make in training,” she said.

She added: “In just a few years, we have managed to narrow the gap with opponents who have many years of experience. Seeing a united group represent our club and country so well is a great source of pride. We are on the right path, and our foundations are becoming stronger every day. We will continue working with determination to broaden our horizons and reach higher levels of competition.”

Sharjah Women’s Sports Clubs’ judo teams continue to prepare their athletes for upcoming competitions, building on experience gained at regional championships and opportunities to represent the UAE national team. These experiences support the development of promising talent and strengthen the presence of Emirati women’s sport internationally.