(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) The UAE have 11 fighters entered including one female among the 16 countries vying for honours in the fourth staging of the Games.
Dubai: Jiu-jitsu ace Faisal Al Ketbi reckons the UAE will have at least a few of medals in their luggage when they make their return trip to the UAE after the 4th Asian Beach Games in Phuket Thailand. Al Ketbi is confident the UAE will make a good impression when jiu jitsu makes its debut at the Games beginning this week.
The UAE have 11 fighters entered including one female among the 16 countries vying for honours in the fourth staging of the Games. Al Ketbi the only Emirati black belt in jiu-jitsu says the team is well prepared to return with a decent medal haul. “We are very excited and looking forward to the competition to begin” he said. “We still don’t know what is in store for us but are ready to take on our opponents with confidence. Most of us in the team are quite experienced and have trained very hard for the UAE to make a good impression at the Games which sees jiu jitsu for the first time” he added.
“I will do everything within my capacity to win and would expect all my team-mates to do so. We want to win as many medals as possible for the UAE.”
The Emirati men have all travelled abroad for competitions and training camps except for the female fighter Shifa Hassan. “I feel this is a great opportunity for me to win a medal for my country abroad” Shifa 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.”
According to Fahad Ali Al Shamsi chief executive of the UAE Jiu Jitsu Federation the UAE are one of the best prepared squads with everyone having international experience including the Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championships. “With that kind of experience I would expect all of them to fare well” he said.
“Of course nothing will come easy in competitions but I believe the UAE squad has all that is needed to perform well and win at least three to four gold medals. “They have good backing from the federation they are provided with the best training facilities and coaching staff.
“So I don’t see why they can’t be successful in this competition.”
The Asian Beach Games at the popular tourist resort in Patong has drawn more than 2700 athletes and over 1700 judges and referees across 26 different sporting disciplines from November 12 to 21.
Squad:UAE jiu-jitsu team
Faisal Fahad Al Ketbi (Black belt) 90kgs; Saeed Ali Humaid Al Shamsi (white) 60kgs; Eid Raihan Salem (purple) 120 kgs; Mohammed Darwish Al Nuaimi (white) 113kgs; Taleb Saleh Al Karbi (brown) 74kgs; Saud Abdullah Al Hammadi (blue) 78kgs; Zayed Rashid Obaid Al Kaabi (purple) 90kgs; Khalfan Humaid Bilhual (blue) 82kgs; Ahmed Ghuloom Mazmi (brown) 65kgs; Ali Salem (purple) 70kgs; Shifa Hassan (white) 74kgs
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