Emirati woman Shafaa Hassan and compatriots aim to fly UAE high

Having arrived a week early and continuing their preparation at a local gymnasium in Patong Beach, the entire team is focused on winning many medals.

Shafaa Hassan, right, has impressed the national coach Polyana Lago in the two weeks the Emirati woman has worked with the Brazilian. Courtesy Adil Al Nuami

PHUKET, THAILAND // The UAE jiu-jitsu contestants will be in the spotlight on the opening day of the fourth Asian Beach Games at the Patong Beach in the popular tourist resort.

The Emirates are well-represented with 10 men and one woman competing in the sport, which is making a debut.

Faisal Al Ketbi, the only Emirati jiu-jitsu black belt, is confident the UAE will have success for a country that has taken a lead role in promoting the sport in Asia.

Having arrived a week early and continuing their preparation at a local gymnasium in Patong Beach, Al Ketbi said he believes the entire team was focused on winning many medals. “We are still not sure of the kind of opponents we will meet but we are ready for the challenge,” he said.

“Everyone in the team is quite experienced and they have trained very hard for the UAE to make a good impression at the Games, which sees jiu-jitsu for the first time.

“I will do everything within my capacity to win and would expect all my teammates to do the same. We want to win as many medals as possible for the UAE.”

Ali Salem was another member of the team who attended a training camp in New York after which he won a bronze medal in the purple belt 70 kilograms at the Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championships in April.

“I travelled with the national team to Brazil for a camp in January and February, and then took part in last month’s Dubai Open, so the preparation has been more than ideal for me,” he said.

“Like me, I would like to think everyone in the team has a good chance of finishing as medallists. The fights at any level are not going to be easy. It is all about how well one can tackle the situations during a fight.”

Shafaa Hassan is the sole flag bearer in the women’s competition but she, too, is confident after having trained for two years.

“I feel this is a great opportunity for me to win a medal for my country in my first time competing abroad,” she said. “Obviously I expect tough competition but I am prepared for the task ahead.

“I want to portray the Emirati women in sports and, hopefully, see my country’s flag fly high at the Games.”

Polyana Lago, her coach, said: “Shafaa has been training under a different coach but she has impressed me in the two weeks I have worked with her.

“She has been doing everything that is required at this stage.”

The UAE has the third highest number of entries after Pakistan (19) and Iran (12) among the 128 entries for the jiu-jitsu competition from 16 ­countries.

The UAE jiu-jitsu team

Faisal Fahad Al Ketbi (Black belt) 90kg

Ahmed Ghuloom Mazmi (brown) 65kg

Taleb Saleh Al Karbi (brown) 74kg

Saud Abdullah Al Hammadi (blue) 78kg

Khalfan Humaid Bilhual (blue) 82kg

Ali Salem (purple) 70kg

Zayed Rashid Obaid Al Kaabi (purple) 90kg

Eid Salem (purple) 120kg

Saeed Ali Humaid Al Shamsi (white) 60kg

Mohammed Darwish Al Nuaimi (white) 113kg

Shafaa Hassan (white) 74kg

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