2023 Grand Prix Paris Open jiu-jitsu team from the UAE wins 16 medals
The Mubadala Investment Company-sponsored UAE national jiu-jitsu team, which has dominated the sport for years, once again demonstrated its superiority at the Grand Prix Paris Open 2023 by earning an astonishing 16 medals. The team performed admirably, winning 10 medals, including two golds, three silvers, and five bronzes, on the competition's second day alone.
On Sunday, the UAE squad was led by Abdulla Alkubaisi (94 kg) and Balqees Abdurlkarim (45 kg), who both won gold to help the team's medal total. Silver medal winners Aysha Al Shamsi (45 kg), Faraj Alawlaqi (77 kg), and Hazza Farhan (94 kg) joined them on the podium. A total of five bronze medals were also won by the squad, and they were won by Hamda Alshkeili (48 kg), Asma Al Hosani (52 kg), Faisal Al Ketbi (85 kg), Saeed Al Kubaisi (85 kg), and Ammar Al Hosani (94 kg).
The winners were lauded for their accomplishment by Fahad Ali Al Shamsi, secretary general of the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation, who also emphasised that they consistently live up to the expectations and goals of the country and are eager to shine on various occasions. We were happy and joyful because of the team's performance over the holiday season. The sons and daughters of our nation set the best examples by taking on duties and contributing to the strengthening of our country's status as the world's top sports power.
"The team's participation in the Grand Prix Paris Open 2023 arrived just in time and demonstrated how the team's technical proficiency is constantly improving. They are well-prepared to take on upcoming competitions with the same energy, tenacity, and resolve that has brought them success in the past, he continued. This will help them continue to excel in international jiu-jitsu competitions.
Yasser Al Qubaisi, the team administrator, affirmed that the second day's findings were satisfactory. Despite the fact that we had higher expectations, particularly in terms of gold medals, the team performed beautifully, he remarked. He also noted that the team is primarily made up of young guys and up-and-coming talent who possess the ideal combination of skills and abilities, qualifying them to advance to the next round with greater success.
Al Qubaisi continued, "We met our objectives by competing in the competition, and our winners got a lot of experience. They did extremely well throughout the current stage of preparation, putting a lot of emphasis on training and working hard to carry out the directives of the technical team in order to sustain improvement in their performance.
Balqees Abdurlkarim expressed his happiness, saying, "I am really glad to have achieved this feat and to have increased the country's medal count in this international competition. By following the guidelines and orders of the technical team, I was able to outperform a number of more seasoned players. We anticipate continue on the path of success, as this tournament served as a crucial building block for subsequent competitions.
To which Abdulla Alkubaisi responded, "Hearing the national anthem performed 16 times on the podium is a strong reflection of the development that Jiu-Jitsu has attained in the UAE. In every competition, UAE athletes are a strong force.
