UAE Jiu-Jitsu Team Shines with Four Medals at Riyadh Games

The UAE Jiu-Jitsu National Team, supported by Mubadala Investment Company, started its journey at the 6th Islamic Solidarity Games – Riyadh 2025 with an excellent performance. On the first day of the jiu-jitsu events, the UAE athletes won four medals, showing their strong preparation and high level of skill. The competitions are being held on November 20 and 21 and include top jiu-jitsu teams from across the Muslim world and other regions.

The Islamic Solidarity Games is a major international multi-sport event where athletes from more than 50 countries come together to compete. Many sports are included, and jiu-jitsu is now one of the most popular and growing sports in this event.

On the opening day, four UAE athletes represented the country: Saeed Alkubaisi in the 85kg category, Sultan Hassan in the 69kg category, Abdullah Alkubaisi in the 94kg category, and Shamsa Alameri in the 57kg category. Each of them delivered a strong performance, and their hard work resulted in four medals for the UAE.

The highlight of the day was the outstanding performance of Shamsa Alameri, who secured the gold medal in the women’s 57kg category. Her excellent technique, focus, and preparation helped her dominate her matches and finish on top of the podium. Saeed Alkubaisi also performed very well and earned a silver medal in the 85kg category after strong and competitive fights. Meanwhile, Abdullah Alkubaisi in the 94kg category and Sultan Hassan in the 69kg category both secured bronze medals.

Mubarak Saleh Al Menhali, Technical Director at the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation, expressed his happiness with the team’s achievements. He said that the results clearly show how dedicated the athletes have been in their training over the past months. He explained that the matches on the first day were not easy, as the event includes some of the best jiu-jitsu competitors from the region and the world. Despite the challenges, the UAE athletes showed determination, discipline, and impressive technical skills.

He added that the team is fully ready to continue performing strongly on the second day of competitions. He believes that the UAE athletes can return home with even more medals and continue to show the world the strength and growth of jiu-jitsu in the UAE.

Gold medal winner Shamsa Alameri said she felt confident going into the competition because of her strong physical and technical training. She shared that the national team’s preparation camps helped her reach peak form. She also expressed her pride in raising the UAE flag at such an important international event. She dedicated her victory to the UAE leadership and to everyone who supported and encouraged the team.

The jiu-jitsu competitions will continue tomorrow, which will be the second and final day. The UAE team is hopeful of adding more medals to its tally. The athletes who will compete on the final day include Khaled Al Shehhi in the 62kg category, Mahdi Al Awlaqi in the 77kg category, Asma Al Hosani in the 52kg category, and Shamma Al Kalbani in the 63kg category. All four athletes are well prepared and aim to build on the strong start made by the team.

With this promising beginning, the UAE Jiu-Jitsu National Team has already shown great potential at the Islamic Solidarity Games. The team’s performance on the first day is a result of hard work, strong support, and the growing jiu-jitsu culture in the UAE. The nation now looks forward to another successful day of competitions and hopes the athletes will continue to shine on the international stage.