Asma Alhosani wins UAE’s second jiu-jitsu gold at Asian Games

HANGZHOU: UAE’s Asma Alhosani made history on Friday as the country’s first woman to secure a gold medal in martial arts at the Asian Games.

On the second day of the jiu-jitsu competition at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, the UAE national jiu-jitsu team secured three more medals — one gold and two bronze — at the Xiaoshan Linpu Gymnasium.

Friday’s competition showcased the outstanding performance of two Emirati women athletes. Alhosani emerged as the standout athlete, clinching the gold medal — the third gold overall for the UAE in Hangzhou. Meanwhile, Shamsa Alameri and Mahdi Alawlaqi secured bronze medals, marking a successful day for the UAE delegation.

With one day remaining until the conclusion of the jiu-jitsu competition, the national jiu-jitsu team, sponsored by the Mubadala Investment Company, has an impressive total of seven medals, including two gold, three silver and two bronze.

In the women’s jiu-jitsu -52kg final, Alhosani prevailed over China’s Jie Miao, winning on points.

“I have been preparing for this moment for four years, and I was confident of achieving this milestone because when an Emirati girl receives the opportunity and support, she achieves her goals, no matter how challenging they may be,” she said. “It was the proudest moment of my life when the UAE flag was raised today in China while the UAE national anthem played.

“We were exhausted, training day and night, participating in camps and tournaments, all in pursuit of this historic moment. When I stood on the podium, all the fatigue faded away because I felt immensely proud to give back to our homeland.”

Marina Ribeiro, coach of the UAE national women’s team, said: “Asma was subjected to tremendous pressure, especially in the final fight with the Chinese champion, who has extensive experience and is over 30 years old, as well as the Chinese audience, who filled the stands with encouragement. Asma did not waver or lose focus and remained at the highest levels of competence until she emerged victorious.”

In the women’s -57kg contest for the bronze medal, Alameri defeated Yasmine Alami of Jordan. Shamsa said that she spared no effort in the fights and that she had hoped to achieve gold to present as a gift to her homeland.

Meanwhile, Faisal Al-Ketbi, Saeed Al-Kubaisi, Shamma Al-Kalbani and Mahra Mahfouz, who are set to participate in Saturday’s competitions, have successfully passed the official weigh-in procedures.