Emirati female fighters proved their mettle by clinching three golds and half of the UAE’s medal haul at the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation (IMMAF) Youth World Championships in Abu Dhabi.
At the five-day tournament, Sara Alzarooni started the gold-medal run and the likes of Zamzam Al Hammadi and her sister Ghala added to the tally by defending their weight category titles. Also, Aisha Alhammadi, Maryam Almutwa and her sister Noof Almutwa bagged bronze medals each.
“We were aiming for more, but for now, I’m happy with the results we’ve achieved,” Zamzam told Khaleej Times.
The UAE finished the tournament with 12 medals, including four golds, one silver and seven bronzes. Female athletes picked up three gold and three bronze medals. There were eight females in the UAE’s 51-athlete contingent at the championship.
“We are only a few girls in this championship, but six out of eight have got a medal. I’m glad to see girls winning most of the medals. It’s a great achievement. I and my sister are part of this with two golds.”
Zamzam, who won her fights through unanimous decisions in the 52.2kg division, urged girls to chase their dreams.
“My message to Emirati girls is not to give up on their dreams. Keep going. Do what you love to do. Maybe you see something in yourself that no one sees. Every woman has her passion. She has to go out there, seek it and improve it,” Zamzam underlined.
Maryam and Noof are looking forward to doing better at the next championship.
“We were hoping for better results. Four sisters from the family participated here. Next year, our twin sisters will also be in the fray,” said Maryam, who won in the 52kg division.
The international MMA event, hosted by the UAE Jiu-Jitsu and Mixed Martial Arts Federation, witnessed the participation of 800 athletes from 47 countries competing in five steel cages set inside the Mubadala Arena. The Emirati female athletes praised the support offered by the UAE leadership and the federation.
“Nothing is impossible for an Emirati girl because of the support we get here in the UAE. So, my achievements are the least things I can do for our leadership and my country,” Zamzam said.
Sara, who won in the 40kg division, dedicated her medal to the leaders and the federation.
“We have got this chance to compete at such a major tournament thanks to their support. I feel proud to win for my country,” Sara noted.
Tolly Plested, coach of the UAE MMA team, is satisfied with the overall performance of the national team.
“They showed impressive skills and flexibility during some tough matches against the world’s top MMA athletes,” Plested said.
“They put in a lot of effort and gave it their all. We’ll keep working on improving their level through more intensive training to achieve even better results in the future.”