ARAB NEWS: ABU DHABI: Hosts UAE concluded their 2026 Jiu-Jitsu World Championship campaign on Sunday by claiming the Adult and U-21 Newaza titles after nine days of competition at Mubadala Arena.

More than 1,500 athletes from around the world competed across different age groups and disciplines in Abu Dhabi, with the UAE winning 65 medals, including 18 gold, 17 silver and 30 bronze.

The Adult team produced one of the standout results of the championship.

Along with winning the Newaza world title, the UAE finished top of the overall Adult standings across all disciplines despite competing only in Newaza. The overall standings included results from Contact Jiu-Jitsu, Fighting, Duo and Show.

The U-21 Team added a second world title for the hosts by finishing top of the Newaza competition, underlining the strength of the UAE’s next generation of athletes and their progression toward the senior national team.

The championship concluded on Sunday with the Para Jiu-Jitsu and team competitions.

Abdulmunem Alsayed Mohammed Alhashmi, chairman of the UAE Jiu-Jitsu and Mixed Martial Arts Federation, president of the Jiu-Jitsu Asian Union and senior vice president of the Jiu-Jitsu International Federation, thanked the team in a statement.

“Jiu-jitsu in the UAE continues to grow thanks to the great support of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, President of the UAE, and HH Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council.”

The performance “shows the progress our athletes have made. These achievements are the result of our leadership’s strong belief in sport and its role in developing people, discovering talent and creating champions,” he said.

Omar Al-Fadhli, who won Adult under-69 kg gold, said: “I am proud that my gold medal was part of a great achievement for the whole team. At a World Championship, you cannot think only about winning. You have to stay focused and know how to deal with every moment and every opponent.

“This gold medal shows how much I have learned from the experience I have gained over the years. It also gives me more responsibility to keep improving and achieve more for the UAE.”

Asma Al-Hosani, Adult under-52 kg gold medalist, said that competing on home soil was “always special.”

“When you reach the final, you know that all the training and preparation come down to those few minutes,” she added. “My focus was on following the plan, doing what I had trained for and staying calm.”

“Winning gold against top-level competition gives me a lot of confidence, but it also motivates me to keep improving and perform even better in future competitions.”

The World Championship success continues a strong 2026 season for the UAE National Team. At the Asian championships, they won the Adult division, and 55 medals across four age categories.