Abdullah Nada adds a second gold medal for Saudi Jiu-Jitsu at the Nagoya Asians 2026

Saudi Jiu-Jitsu continued its remarkable presence in the Nagoya 2026 Asian Games, after Abdullah Tariq Nada won the gold medal in the under-85 kg competition, after defeating Kazakhstan’s Meri Kabdulaev in the final match with a score of 7-0.

Abdullah's coronation came only 24 hours after his older brother, Omar Nada, won gold in the under-94 kg weight, bringing the two brothers together in a remarkable family achievement as part of the Saudi participation in the jiu-jitsu competitions at the tournament.

Abdullah Nada revealed in an exclusive interview with Asharq Al-Awsat that his brother’s coronation was an additional motivation for him before competing in the final competitions, and he said: “My brother Omar winning the gold medal had a great impact in making me more enthusiastic about winning, and my brother and I prepared for a whole year in order to compete in the Asia’s Championships.”

Abdullah achieved gold at the age of 19, becoming one of the youngest Saudi athletes to win a gold medal in the Asian Games, confirming the strong presence of young players within the Saudi jiu-jitsu team.

Khaled Habab, in turn, recorded a remarkable presence in his first participation, after he won the bronze medal at the age of 17 years, making him the youngest player in the Saudi Jiu-Jitto team participating in the tournament.

For his part, Anas Orfali, President of the Saudi Jiu-Jitsu Federation, confirmed that the team’s tally reflects the development the game is witnessing. He told Asharq Al-Awsat: “We achieved five medals in the Asian Games, two gold and three bronze, is an honorable matter, and our focus is on developing the Sunni groups and preparing for the upcoming competitions.”

He added that work will continue in preparation for the upcoming events, most notably the Asian Games in Doha in four years.

In turn, Rakan Al-Fuhaid, Executive Director of the Saudi Jiu-Jitsu Federation, praised what the players presented during the competitions, stressing that they achieved honorable achievements, and that the federation continues to raise the bar of aspirations in order to enhance the players’ sense of responsibility and continue achieving results in the upcoming tournaments.

The results of Abdullah, Omar Nada and the rest of their colleagues raised the tally of Saudi jiu-jitsu to five medals, two gold and three bronze, making it the most medal winner among the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic federations participating in the Nagoya 2026 Asian Games.