UAE wins record six medals in one day at Asian Games
The UAE celebrated its most successful single day in Asian Games history after winning six medals, including three golds, at the 2026 Games in Aichi-Nagoya.
The record-breaking haul was led by the country’s jiu-jitsu athletes, with Khaled Al Shehhi, Ahmed Andeez and Balqees Abdulla all becoming Asian Games champions.
The UAE also secured three silver medals, including a strong performance from the national showjumping team, taking the country’s overall medal tally at the Games to eight — four golds and four silvers.
Three jiu-jitsu gold medals for the UAE
Jiu-jitsu delivered the biggest success of the day, with UAE athletes dominating several divisions.
Khaled Al Shehhi successfully defended his Asian Games title in the men’s 62kg category, defeating fellow Emirati Omar Al Suwaidi in an all-UAE final.
The victory made Al Shehhi a two-time Asian Games champion, following his gold medal in the same weight category at the 2022 Games in Hangzhou.
Another gold followed through Ahmed Andeez, who claimed the men’s 69kg title.
The UAE then celebrated a third victory when Balqees Abdulla defeated compatriot Al Anoud Al Harbi in the women’s 48kg final.
With two finals featuring Emirati athletes on both sides, the results highlighted the UAE’s growing strength in international jiu-jitsu.
Khaled Al Shehhi makes history again
Al Shehhi’s second consecutive Asian Games gold was one of the standout achievements of the day.
Winning the same weight category at two successive Games places him among the UAE’s most consistent international jiu-jitsu athletes.
His final against Al Suwaidi also guaranteed the country both gold and silver before the match had even begun.
The success continues the UAE’s strong record in the sport, which has become one of the country’s most reliable sources of medals at major international competitions.
UAE showjumping team takes silver
The medal celebrations extended beyond the jiu-jitsu arena.
The UAE showjumping team came within a narrow margin of winning gold at the JRA Equestrian Park in Tokyo, with the competition remaining open until the final rider.
The team featured Sheikha Latifah bint Ahmed Al Maktoum, Humaid Abdulla Khalifa Al Muhairi, Abdullah Humaid Al Muhairi and Omar Abdul Aziz Al Marzooqi.
Across two rounds, the Emirati riders produced five clear rounds and finished the competition with only four faults.
That performance secured silver ahead of host nation Japan, while Saudi Arabia won gold after completing a flawless round.
A step forward from Hangzhou
The silver medal represented another improvement for the UAE equestrian team.
At the previous Asian Games in Hangzhou, the team claimed bronze. Three years later, they moved one step higher on the podium.
The result added to a growing list of international achievements for UAE equestrian sport and contributed to what became a historic day for the country’s delegation.
The UAE’s biggest single-day Asian Games haul
The six medals surpassed the UAE’s previous record for medals won on a single day at an Asian Games, which had been set at the 2018 Games in Jakarta.
The achievement also pushed the national team’s total in Aichi-Nagoya to eight medals.
The UAE had opened its campaign with Sulaiman Abdulrahman’s silver medal in the men’s 400 metres, before Mariam Kareem delivered the country’s first gold with victory in the women’s 400m hurdles.
Those athletics results were followed by a remarkable day in jiu-jitsu and showjumping.
UAE athletes deliver a historic day in Japan
The combination of established champions and emerging athletes has made the 2026 Asian Games an increasingly successful campaign for the UAE.
Al Shehhi defended his title, Andeez and Abdulla became Asian Games champions, two all-Emirati jiu-jitsu finals guaranteed multiple medals, and the showjumping team improved on its result from the previous Games.
With six medals won in a single day, the UAE has now set a new national Asian Games record — and strengthened its position across both combat sports and equestrian competition.
