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ABU DHABI:  The UAE national jiu-jitsu team landed in China on Thursday to take part in the 2025 World Games, hosted in Chengdu from Aug. 7-17.

The UAE team, sponsored by Mubadala Investment Company, will begin its campaign on Aug. 10 when the jiu-jitsu competitions kick off, running through to Aug. 12.

The national team previously participated in the 2017 World Games in Wroclaw, Poland, winning two medals — one gold and one silver. They delivered a strong showing again at the 2022 event in Birmingham, the US, securing five medals: Two gold, one silver and two bronze.

The 2025 event will bring together nearly 5,000 athletes from 118 countries competing across 34 sports, making it one of the most prominent international sporting events.

Mubarak Saleh Al-Menhali, director of the technical department at the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation, or UAEJJF, said that the team was aiming to achieve a new milestone that would further strengthen the UAE’s position regionally and globally. He said that the current squad featured experienced male and female athletes who had consistently performed at the highest level.

“We are confident our athletes are fully prepared for the championship. They’ve put in a lot of work through both local and overseas training camps, which helped enhance their physical and mental readiness. They also completed intensive technical and fitness sessions to ensure they are in peak condition heading into the competition.”

Former Emirati jiu-jitsu champion, Faisal Al-Ketbi, who is traveling with the team, added: “Our team has a good chance of winning medals at the World Games, especially as they’re currently among the top-ranked. We held a training camp in Brazil before the event, focusing on sharpening technique and improving overall fitness. The team is ready, morale is high, and after winning two gold medals last time, we’re aiming for more this year.”

The men’s team includes Mohammed Al-Suwaidi (69kg), Mehdi Al-Awlaki (77kg) and Saeed Al-Kubaisi (85kg). On the women’s side, the team features Asma Alhosani (52kg), Shamsa Al-Amri (57kg) and Shamma Al-Kalbani (63kg).