Dubai: Faisal Al Ketbi is confident the UAE will make a good impression when jiu-jitsu makes its debut in the Asian Beach Games in Phuket, Thailand, this week.
The UAE have a team of 11 fighters, including one female, entered among the 16 countries vying for honours in the fourth staging of the Games from Wednesday.
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 for the competition to begin,” he said. “We still don’t know what is in store for us but we are ready 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.
“I will do everything within my capacity to win and would expect all my teammates to do so as well. We want to win as many medals as possible for the UAE.”
The team members have all travelled abroad for competitions and training camps, except for the sole female fighter Shifa Hassan.
“I feel this is a great opportunity for me to win a medal for my country abroad,” she said. “Obviously I expect tough competition, but I am prepared for the task ahead. I want to portray 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 have one of the best-prepared squads thanks to their experience of international competitions both locally and abroad, 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, 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 2,700 athletes across 26 sporting disciplines from November 12 to 21.
