Record medal haul for UAE as IMMAF Youth World Championships wraps up in Abu Dhabi

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ABU DHABI: The fourth IMMAF Youth World Championships at Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala Arena ended on Saturday with the UAE national team claiming a record 12 medals.

The Emirati athletes’ historic run throughout the championship included four gold, four silver and four bronze, compared to a tally of four medals last year.

The competition in Youth A (16 to 17-years-old) was held on the final day of the four-day event. The Ukraine topped the overall medal table followed by the US in second place and Tajikistan in third.

The championship saw UAE athletes Fahad Al-Hammadi (Youth A/70.3 kg division), Ghala Al-Hammadi (Youth B/40 kg division), Saif Alblooshi (Youth C/40 kg division), and Zamzam Al-Hammadi (Youth B/52 kg division) winning gold medals.

Mohammed bin Dalmouj Al-Dhaheri, board member of the UAE Jiu-Jitsu and Mixed Martial Arts Federation and chairman of the federation’s mixed martial arts committee, hailed the success of the championship and the performance of the national team.

“The remarkable organization and resounding success of the championship, which we proudly hosted for the second consecutive year, can be attributed to the unwavering support from the UAE’s visionary leadership and their continuous guidance for the country’s sports and athletes. The successful conclusion of the championship has once again solidified the UAE’s reputation as the world’s MMA capital,” Al-Dhaheri said.

“We extend our heartfelt congratulations to the national team for their outstanding performance, securing a historic achievement of 12 medals. Our aim is to build on this success in the upcoming edition of the World Mixed Martial Arts Championship, which will be hosted by Abu Dhabi next year.

“We also express our appreciation to all the administrative and technical staff who dedicatedly supervised the national team’s preparations throughout the year-long journey. We are resolute in our commitment to continue nurturing and developing young talents who will become the backbone of our national team, symbolizing the continuity of excellence across generations.”

Mohamed Dagher, president of the Lebanese Mixed Martial Arts Federation, commended the enthusiastic sports atmosphere and the organization and hosting of the event.

“The Lebanese national team is participating in the tournament with 16 male and female players, and we came to the UAE with great ambitions after a stage of preparations leading up to the tournament,” he added. “We can definitely say that these efforts didn’t go in vain, as our talented athletes like Lamar Muhammad and Omar Antar have performed incredibly well, exceeding our expectations.”

Dagher also congratulated the achievements of the UAE team and its haul of medals, saying that it reflected the efforts of the UAE Jiu-Jitsu and Mixed Martial Arts Federation.