The UAE karate team landed at Dubai International Airport carrying nine medals from the Asian Juniors and U21 Championships in Amman. Federation president Major General Nasser Abdulrazzaq Al Razouqi met the athletes at arrivals, handing out financial rewards and making it clear that the team's success comes with higher expectations for the future.
With two golds and seven bronzes, this was the UAE's best showing at a continental karate event. Al Razouqi, joined by federation officials and club representatives, greeted the athletes with flowers and public recognition. The medals, won between 8 and 10 September, set a new standard for the national team. According to Gulf Today, gold medals went to Karim Rami in the U21 individual kata and Habiba Yasser in the girls' kumite -48kg category.
"The UAE opened the championships with five bronze medals on the first day, before adding more medals as the event progressed."
- Gulf Today
Al Razouqi praised the athletes' determination and performance, but also stressed that the federation expects this momentum to continue at both continental and global levels. He also recognized the technical and administrative staff, ordering financial bonuses for everyone involved. Independent reports confirmed that, in addition to her gold, Habiba Yasser earned a bronze in women's kata. Razan Mahyoub took two bronzes in junior girls' kata and kumite -47kg. Khalifa Al Hajaj, Bakhit Ahmed, Sultan Mohammed, and Mohammed Al Kindi each added a bronze in their categories.
The homecoming was attended by Suleiman Al Hajri, Sharjah Sports Club board member and head of individual sports, and Hamid Shams, federation secretary general. Also present were Ibrahim Al Nuaimi, head of competitions and Asian Karate Federation official, Ahmed Salem, deputy head of national teams, and executive director Mohammed Abbas. Their attendance signaled the federation's intent to build on this success. As reported by Jordan News, the 24th Asian Cadet, Junior & U21 Karate Championships were officially opened in Amman by Prince Faisal bin Al-Hussein, underlining the event's regional importance.
For the UAE's youth and U21 karate athletes, this result is more than just a medal count. The federation is now openly tying financial support to podium finishes and raising its expectations. This approach reflects a broader trend in UAE sports, where federations increasingly link funding to results, as seen in other disciplines reported earlier.
"The 24th Asian Karate Championships in Amman, held from 8-11 September 2026, brought together delegations from across Asia in a live, multi-country event. National federations tracked results day by day, and the UAE's nine-medal haul was widely recognized as the country's strongest continental karate campaign to date."
- Bernama
The medals are a clear reward, but the bigger question is whether this new approach will lead to lasting international competitiveness. The federation's decision to reward achievement and demand more is a shift from the complacency that has sometimes affected UAE Olympic sports. If the leadership follows through with continued investment and technical focus, the UAE karate program could move from regional contender to a stronger force in Asia.
