Baku:The UAE national judo team secured a gold medal at the World Championships in Baku, concluding their participation in the event organized by the Azerbaijan Judo Federation and overseen by the International Judo Federation (IJF). The competition, held from October 4th to 10th, featured 622 athletes from 93 countries.

According to Emirates News Agency, the UAE team expanded their medal count to two, having previously won a silver medal through athlete Mohammed Bek in the under-73kg category. This achievement is noted as significant, given the level of competition from the world's top judo athletes.

Yeliza Vita emerged victorious in the women's under-78kg category by defeating French champion Kayla Isove in the final match. Vita navigated through a challenging field of 44 international competitors to claim the gold.

Japan led the overall medal standings, followed by Georgia, Spain, and Azerbaijan, with the UAE team finishing in fifth place. This ranking represents the UAE's highest position to date in the world standings, highlighting the progress and development of the national team.

Mohammed bin Thaloub Al-Darei, President of the UAE Judo Federation, attributed the success to the federation's strategic initiatives and the support from UAE leadership. He emphasized that this accomplishment underscores the efforts to nurture national talent and collaboration between the federation and local clubs.

Al-Darei also mentioned that this achievement would serve as additional motivation for the upcoming Abu Dhabi Grand Slam 2026, scheduled for October 29th to 31st at Mubadala Arena in Zayed Sports City under IJF supervision. He lauded the performances of both the UAE's male and female athletes throughout the championships.

Vita expressed her pride in securing the team's first gold medal at the World Championships, attributing her success to the federation's continuous backing, training opportunities, and participation in global competitions.