UAE champions conclude Abu Dhabi Grand Slam London with 24 medals
ABU DHABI (WAM)UAE champions delivered an impressive performance on the final day of the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam Jiu-Jitsu Championship in London, which concluded on Sunday at the Copper Box Arena. The national team secured 14 additional medals — including nine gold, one silver, and four bronze — raising the UAE delegation's total tally to 24 medals and reaffirming the country's global leadership in the sport of jiu-jitsu.The final day of the championship was dedicated to the professional division, with standout gold medal victories by Obaid Al Ketbi (Al Ain Club), 56kg, purple belt; Harib Al Hammadi (Sharjah Self-Defence Sports Club), 62kg, purple belt; Fahad Al Hammadi (Baniyas Club), 77kg, purple belt; Mahdi Al Awlaqi (Baniyas Club), 85kg, purple belt; Rashed Al Shehhi (Al Ain Club), 56kg, brown belt; Mayed Al Shehhi (Baniyas Club), 62kg, brown belt; Omar Al Suwaidi (Al Wahda Club), 56kg, black belt; Khaled Al Shehhi (Al Ain Club), 62kg, black belt; and Shamma Al Kalbani (ADMA Academy), 62kg, purple belt.The silver medal was earned by Sultan Hassan (Baniyas Club), 69kg, purple belt.Bronze medals went to Sultan Jabr (Al Wahda Club), 69kg, brown belt; Zayed Al Shamsi (Al Wahda Club), 56kg, brown belt; Jassim Al Hosani (Al Wahda Club), 120kg; and Faraj Al Awlaqi (Baniyas Club), 94kg, purple belt.The London leg of the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam Jiu-Jitsu Tour, organised by the Abu Dhabi Jiu-Jitsu Pro (AJP), is regarded as one of the most prestigious stops in the global series.This year's edition attracted more than 1,500 athletes from 72 countries, who competed across three action-packed days — a testament to the tournament's international reputation and elite level of organisation.The Abu Dhabi Grand Slam serves as a global platform for top jiu-jitsu athletes and awards crucial ranking points that contribute toward qualification for the Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship.The event also reinforces the UAE's standing as a global hub for the sport, offering athletes worldwide an opportunity to gain experience through high-level professional matches governed by world-class standards in refereeing, organisation, and media coverage.Sada Yoshi Kurimori, a member of the AJP Tour's organising team in Europe, stated, "This has been an outstanding experience for jiu-jitsu in Europe. AJP continues to elevate the sport globally. The London event featured intense matchups with top-ranked athletes, and we're proud of the success it achieved in terms of both organisation and performance."
"We're already working to increase participation next season — and we're confident we can do it. We've grown to become the largest and most successful jiu-jitsu organisers in Europe, with over 67 events annually, and we aim to increase that to 120 in the coming years, potentially adding Portugal as a new stop," Kurimori added.
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