UAE Participates in 12th Edition of World Games in Chengdu, China
The UAE is set to make its mark at the 12th World Games, scheduled from 7th to 17th August in Chengdu, China. A dedicated delegation of eight athletes—both male and female—will compete across three sports: jiu-jitsu, muaythai, and triathlon.
The national jiu-jitsu team features six talented competitors: Mohammed Al Suwaidi (69 kg), Mahdi Al Awlaki (77 kg), Saeed Al Kubaisi (85 kg), Asma Al Hosani (52 kg), Shamsa Al Amri (57 kg), and Shamma Al Kalbani (63 kg). In addition to jiu-jitsu, Maryam Al Shamsi will represent the UAE in the triathlon competitions, while Mohammed Touizi will contest in muaythai.
Prior to the global event, the Technical and Sports Affairs Department at the National Olympic Committee convened a joint virtual meeting with the relevant sports federations to review the team’s final preparations. This edition of the World Games will bring together more than 5,000 athletes from 118 countries, competing in a remarkable 34 disciplines.
The World Games, held every four years, are overseen by the **International World Games Association (IWGA)**—an organization recognized by the International Olympic Committee. The IWGA currently consists of 40 international sports federations.
The UAE made its World Games debut during the 8th edition in 2009 in Taiwan, where Mohamed Shehab earned a bronze medal in snooker. Over the years, the UAE has secured a total of 12 medals in the history of the event. Notable achievements include Faisal Al Ketbi winning both gold and silver medals in jiu-jitsu at the 10th edition in Poland in 2017, as well as the national air sports team claiming a bronze in the mixed parachuting category during the same edition.
The nation’s best-ever performance came during the previous 2022 edition in Birmingham, United States, with the UAE delegation clinching a record eight medals: two gold, one silver, and five bronze—all in jiu-jitsu, muaythai, and freefall parachuting.
Following the results in Birmingham, the UAE improved its standing in the all-time World Games medals table, rising 10 places to 56th out of 101 participating countries. Meanwhile, Italy maintained the top position in the cumulative medal standings with a total of 490 medals, despite finishing fourth in the 2022 edition with 49 medals.
Team V.4-EM-UAE
