UAE’s rising judo talents claim seven medals at West Asian Championship

The national junior and youth team demonstrates competitive prowess with an impressive haul of gold, silver and bronze at the biennial tournament in Amman

The UAE junior and youth judo team has affirmed its growing strength on the regional stage, securing seven medals on the opening day of the 2026 West Asian Judo Championship in Amman. The medalists comprised two gold, two silver and three bronze, a result that speaks to the depth of talent emerging within the federation’s development programmes.

Saqr Al Otaibi claimed gold in the under-66kg category, whilst Masoud Al Masmari triumphed in the under-55kg division. The team’s bronze medals came through Manaa Al-Zaabi in the under-50kg weight class, Bati Al-Hashmi at under-60kg, and Youssef Mohammed Al-Awad in the under-81kg category. In the women’s competition, Nada Rashed Al Ghafri and Nouf Saeed each took silver, respectively in the under-40kg and under-44kg categories.

The performance represents a continuation of the team’s recent success. The UAE Judo Federation noted that this latest achievement follows closely upon the national team’s five-medal showing at the Asian Youth and Junior Judo Championships, also held in the Jordanian capital.

The federation has emphasised that by competing at the West Asian Championship, the junior team gains invaluable competitive experience whilst developing their technical abilities and refining their tactical approaches. The strategy of placing younger athletes in elevated competitions reflects a broader commitment to cultivating the next generation of international competitors and building sustainable excellence across the sport.

What it means for Abu Dhabi

These results signal the maturation of the UAE’s judo pathway system and its effectiveness in nurturing talent from youth to competitive levels. The federation’s deliberate approach to athlete development through progressively challenging competitions strengthens the foundation upon which future national success will be built.

With the Asian games and continental championships on the horizon, such performances demonstrate that Abu Dhabi and the UAE possess the institutional structures, coaching expertise and young talent pool necessary to compete at increasingly demanding levels. The medal haul reflects the emirate’s sustained investment in sports development and its commitment to fostering Olympic disciplines across the nation.

Source: WAM