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Five gold medals in Paris underline UAE's growing jiu-jitsu dominance
In an event featuring some of the world’s best Jiu-Jitsu teams, the UAE athletes produced superb performances, displaying their skills and technical styles in hard-fought bouts
- PUBLISHED: Tue 28 Apr 2026, 5:01 PM
With 12 medals, including five gold, the UAE national jiu-jitsu team grabbed the limelight at the Paris Open Grand Prix.
The national team got off to a flying start on the opening day of the event in the French capital with two gold, one silver and two bronze medals.
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The Emirati athletes added three gold, two silver and two bronze medals to their collection on the second day of the prestigious event. Abdulrahman Abdulhaq (62kg), Faisal Alwahedi (69kg), Maryam Adnan Ali (45kg), Balqees Abdulkarim (48kg), and Ammar Khalil Al Hosani (94kg) clinched the gold medals for the UAE.
While Ahmad Khalifa Andeez (69kg), Al Anoud Ibrahim Al Harbi (48kg) and Saeed Hamad Al Kaabi (85kg) secured silver medals, Rashed Mohammed Alshehhi (56kg), Abdulrahman Sayedna Sayed Mohammed, Abdullah Ahmed Al Kaabi (94kg) and Meera Hassan Al Hosani (52kg) won the bronze medals.
In an event featuring some of the world’s best Jiu-Jitsu teams, the UAE athletes produced superb performances, displaying their skills and technical styles in hard-fought bouts.
Mohammed Salem Al Dhaheri, Vice Chairman of the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation, was delighted with the performance of the UAE team.
“The level demonstrated reflects a clear commitment to the technical programme and the ability to execute under the demands of high-level competition, where managing each phase of the bout requires precision and discipline,” Al Dhaheri said.
“This participation forms part of a long-term preparation programme focused on enhancing performance quality and preparing athletes to compete against opponents from different technical schools.”
Al Dhaheri also hailed the constant support for athletes from the UAE’s visionary leaders.
“The continued support of the UAE leadership provides the framework that enables this approach, offering regular exposure to high-level competition, which is reflected in the team’s progress and growing ability to succeed internationally,” he said.
Rituraj Borkakoty is Sports Editor and has spent more than two decades writing on his sporting heroes. He also loves an underdog story, so if you have one, share it with him. He would love to bring it to life.