UAE women’s jiu-jitsu is gaining international momentum after three senior world titles, with athletes now targeting success at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.
ABU DHABI: UAE women’s jiu-jitsu is strengthening its position on the global stage after a series of major international successes, with Emirati athletes winning world and continental titles and establishing themselves among the country’s leading sporting performers.
At the 2026 Jiu-Jitsu World Championships in Abu Dhabi, Asma Al Hosani, Shamma Al Kalbani and Balqees Al Hashmi all claimed senior gold medals. Al Hosani won the 52kg category, Al Kalbani triumphed at 63kg and Al Hashmi secured the 48kg title.
Their results highlighted the depth developing within the UAE women’s national programme, particularly as athletes increasingly compete against leading international opponents.
How are Emirati women succeeding internationally?
The latest world titles build on an established record of success.
Al Hosani and Al Kalbani previously won gold medals at the Hangzhou Asian Games, while Mahra Al Hanaei secured silver for the UAE at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta.
Those achievements have helped UAE women’s jiu-jitsu move from emerging participation towards sustained international competitiveness.
The 2026 World Championships provided another major demonstration of that progress. The women’s national team collected five medals in the Adult division, with the three gold medals complemented by silver medals for Maryam Al Ali in the 45kg category and Al Anoud Al Harbi in the 48kg category.
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Why does this matter for UAE sport?
Jiu-jitsu has become one of the UAE’s most successful platforms for developing female athletes capable of competing internationally.
The significance goes beyond individual medals. Consistent results provide younger athletes with visible Emirati role models while demonstrating a pathway from youth development and domestic competition to world championships and major multi-sport events.
Women are also increasingly involved across the wider jiu-jitsu ecosystem, including coaching, refereeing and technical and administrative roles. That broader participation helps build expertise around the athletes themselves and strengthens the long-term development of the sport.
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What comes next for the UAE team?
Attention now shifts to Japan.
The 20th Asian Games will take place in Aichi-Nagoya from September 19 to October 4, with the UAE women’s national team looking to extend its recent run of international success.
The wider UAE delegation will feature 165 athletes across the Games, where more than 11,000 competitors from 45 countries are expected. The UAE National Olympic Committee has identified the growth of women’s participation as an important part of the country’s Asian Games journey.
For Al Hosani, Al Kalbani, Al Hashmi and their teammates, the tournament offers another opportunity to translate recent world-level performances into medals on one of Asia’s biggest sporting stages.
Impact to expect
Inspiration. Continued success in UAE women’s jiu-jitsu could encourage more Emirati girls to enter competitive sport while strengthening the country’s reputation as a leading international centre for jiu-jitsu.
