Khaled Al Shehhi won gold at 62kg, Balqees Abdullah at 48kg, and Ahmed Khalifa Andeez at 69kg. Alanood Al Harbi took silver at 48kg, and Omar Al Suwaidi at 62kg.

Two of the finals were all-Emirati. Al Shehhi beat his teammate Al Suwaidi in the 62kg final, and Balqees Abdullah beat Al Harbi in the 48kg final.

Five medals in a single day is the UAE's best one-day haul at any Asian Games. The flag went up five times, and the national anthem played three times on the top step.

Leaders in the stands

Shehab Al Fahim, the UAE's ambassador to Japan, watched part of the competition and attended the medal ceremonies. So did Al Dhaheri, Yousef Abdullah Al Batran, a board member of the UAE Jiu-Jitsu and Mixed Martial Arts Federation; Fahad Ali Al Shamsi, Secretary-General of the UAE and Asian jiu-jitsu federations; and Panagiotis Theodoropoulos, President of the International Jiu-Jitsu Federation.

Al Dhaheri: the work behind the result

Al Dhaheri praised the team's technical level, fighting spirit and discipline throughout the day. He credited the result to a long-term plan and close oversight by Abdulmunim Al Sayed Mohammed Al Hashemi, President of the UAE and Asian jiu-jitsu federations, and First Vice President of the International Jiu-Jitsu Federation.

He said the UAE is now the world's largest developer of the sport, with Abu Dhabi as its global capital, hosting leading international and continental events. He dedicated the medals to the UAE's leadership and said he expects more over the next two days.

From the athletes and officials

Al Batran said the results followed a long period of preparation and personal sacrifice. He thanked the athletes' families and the technical and administrative staff.

Al Shehhi said the all-Emirati final showed how far UAE jiu-jitsu has come and that the real winner was the country. He added that every team member competes with one aim: to raise the flag and hear the anthem on the podium.

Al Harbi said that reaching the final alongside Balqees Abdullah demonstrated the standard Emirati women have reached. She added that the federation's work on women's jiu-jitsu is paying off year after year.

The competition resumes on Friday and concludes on Saturday.