UAE jiu‑jitsu team departs Abu Dhabi for Aichi‑Nagoya Asian Games
A 16‑strong UAE jiu‑jitsu squad has left for Japan to contest the Aichi‑Nagoya 2026 Asian Games, following a Brazil training camp and extensive preparatory competition.
Team and schedule
The UAE Jiu‑Jitsu National Team has departed Abu Dhabi for Aichi‑Nagoya, where the jiu‑jitsu events at the 2026 Asian Games will take place from 1–3 October. The delegation comprises 16 athletes — 10 men and six women — selected to contest all weight categories.
Squad details
The men’s line‑up features Omar Al Suwaidi and Khaled Al Shehhi at 62kg; Ahmed Andeez and Omar Alfadhli at 69kg; Mahdi Al Awlaqi and Fahad Al Hammadi at 77kg; Saeed Alkubaisi and Faraj Al Awlaqi at 85kg; and Abdullah Al Qubaisi and Amaar Al Hosani at 94kg.
The women’s team includes Alanood Al Harbi and Balqees Alhashmi at 48kg; Asma Alhosani and Shamsa Al Ameri at 52kg; and Shamma Al Kalbani and Aisha Al Jneibi at 63kg.
Preparation and aims
The squad completed a rigorous preparation schedule that combined participation in Asian and international championships with a focused training camp in Brazil. The camp emphasised technical refinement, physical conditioning and exposure to a variety of competitive styles.
Mubarak Saleh Al Menhali, Technical Director at the UAE Jiu‑Jitsu and Mixed Martial Arts Federation, said the Brazil camp was a key component of the build‑up, improving technical ability, match management and the athletes’ physical and mental readiness. He expressed confidence that the team are well prepared to compete in Japan.
Shamma Al Kalbani, a Hangzhou 2022 gold medallist, reflected on the value of previous success while underlining the need for focus. She said that her Hangzhou victory provided experience and confidence, but stressed that each competition presents fresh challenges.
Past record and competition
The UAE arrives in Aichi‑Nagoya with a strong Asian Games pedigree. In Jakarta 2018 the national jiu‑jitsu team accounted for nine of the UAE’s 14 medals. At Hangzhou 2022 the squad topped the sport’s standings with 10 medals, including four golds. The federation acknowledges the rising standard across Asia and has prepared the athletes to meet stiff opposition.
The delegation’s departure from Abu Dhabi marks the final stage of preparations ahead of the opening of jiu‑jitsu competition on 1 October, as the UAE aims to build on its continental achievements.