Nagoya, Japan: The UAE raised its gold-medal tally to a record seven at the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games, surpassing its previous best of five at Hangzhou.
The milestone came as the UAE national jiu-jitsu team added two gold medals and a bronze on the second day of competition, taking the country’s overall tally to 12 medals – seven gold, four silver and one bronze.
Mahdi Al Awlaqi claimed gold in the men’s under-77kg category, while Asma Al Hosani took the women’s under-52kg title and Ammar Al Hosani secured bronze in the men’s under-94kg division.
The results took the jiu-jitsu team’s tally at the Games to eight medals – five gold, two silver and one bronze.
The UAE’s seven gold medals were won by Mariam Kareem in the women’s 400m hurdles, Kazbek Naguchev in men’s under-73kg judo, and jiu-jitsu athletes Balqees Abdulla (women’s under-48kg), Khaled Al Shehhi (men’s under-62kg), Ahmed Andeez (men’s under-69kg), Mahdi Al Awlaqi (men’s under-77kg) and Asma Al Hosani (women’s under-52kg).
The four silvers came through Suleiman Abdulrahman in the men’s 400m, Al Anoud Al Harbi in women’s under-48kg jiu-jitsu, Omar Al Suwaidi in men’s under-62kg jiu-jitsu, and the UAE show jumping team. Ammar Al Hosani’s under-94kg jiu-jitsu bronze completed the medal haul.
Faris Mohammed Al Mutawa, Secretary General of the UAE Olympic Committee, said winning seven gold medals at a single Asian Games marked a significant milestone for UAE sport and reflected the progress made by the country’s athletes.
He credited the achievement to the athletes, technical and administrative teams and national sports federations, and thanked H.H. Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, President of the UAE Olympic Committee, for his continued support.
Al Mutawa said the UAE’s 165-strong delegation formed part of efforts to strengthen the country’s sporting competitiveness, with attention also turning to the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games and Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
In judo, Mohammed Omar Marouf missed out on a medal in the men’s over-100kg category after losing the bronze-medal contest to South Korea’s Kim Min-jong by ippon in golden score. He had beaten the Philippines’ Kedo Isliken in the round of 16 and China’s Li Haiyang in the quarter-finals.
Gadzhimurad Omarov reached the men’s under-90kg quarter-finals, beating Kazakhstan’s Aidar Arabov in the round of 16 before losing to Kyrgyzstan’s Erlan Sherov and then Iran’s Amir Abbas Choopan in the repechage.
The UAE rugby team lost 29-12 to South Korea in the quarter-finals and will face Malaysia in the classification matches for fifth to eighth place.
In taekwondo, Amna Al Loghani bowed out of the women’s under-67kg competition following a 2-0 round-of-16 defeat to Jordan’s Razan Al Rawashdeh.
The UAE’s campaign continues on Saturday across rugby, equestrian, jiu-jitsu and golf.
In show jumping, Abdullah Humaid Al Muhairi, Humaid Abdullah Al Muhairi, Sheikha Latifa bint Ahmed Al Maktoum and Omar Abdulaziz Al Marzooqi will compete in the individual competition.
Faraj Al Awlaqi and Saeed Al Kubaisi will compete in the men’s under-85kg jiu-jitsu category, while Shamma Al Kalbani will contest the women’s under-63kg division. The UAE golf team will also return for the fourth and final round of the men’s individual stroke play competition.
