Shamma Al Kalbani continues to break new ground as the leading light of women's jiu-jitsu in the UAE.
Al Kalbani became the first Emirati female to win a medal at the World Games when she collected bronzes in the 63-kilogram weight class and the open category in Birmingham, Alabama, in July 2022.
She is now set to become the first Emirati female to feature in the Abu Dhabi Extreme Championship (ADXC) when the fourth edition of the competition is hosted outside of the UAE for the first time, in Paris later this month.
The May 18 tournament in the French capital features both jiu-jitsu and grappling, with organisers promising a card packed with European talent going up against some of the best athletes from the rest of the world, all under one dynamic set of rules inside the cage.
Al Kalbani, 21, says she will be delighted to fly the flag for the UAE at the event, but before she digs out her passport, she is determined to defend her Asian Championship title at the Mubadala Arena in Abu Dhabi this weekend.
“I’m really honoured to be the first Emirati female to feature in this exciting ADXC competition," Al Kalbani told The National. "It's being held for the first time outside the UAE and [I am] obviously looking forward for this new challenge of competing in the cage across three rounds.
“I have never been inside a cage until now and never expected such a turn of events, but when it comes to jiu-jitsu I’m ready for any challenge.”
Bouts at ADXC are contested across three three-minute rounds inside the cage, whereas a traditional jiu-jitsu contest is a single five-minute round on the mat.
“I’ll surely have a few spins inside the cage before heading to Paris. It is a new experience but I believe my jiu-jitsu is good enough to overcome the challenges that I may face,” added Al Kalbani, who has been drawn against Lina Grosset, who is 10 years her senior and ranked No 2 in France.
“In the ADXC, there is a chance to re-energise and come back for the second and third rounds, whereas in the traditional format you may get tired towards the end. So, let’s see how it works out for me.
“But having said that, my focus right now has entirely been on readying for the Asian Championship. I would like to think it’s the ideal platform for my preparation for the ADXC as well.
“We have been training for the continental championship three days a week for the past month. I feel I’m in good shape to aim at a third gold in this championship.”
Al Kalbani won bronze in her first appearance in the continental championship in 2021 and has since followed up with golds in the last two years. She’s also an Asian Games gold medallist from Hangzhou in 2022.
She has won many awards and titles in jiu-jitsu but the Asian Games gong remains right on top.
“For me, the Asian Games is the most prestigious sporting event after the Olympics,” she added. “I wish jiu-jitsu will be in the Olympics and to compete in this world sporting spectacle would be another dream realised.”
Joining Al Kalbani in the ADXC is her national jiu-jitsu team colleague and fellow Asian Games gold medallist Khaled Al Shehhi.
Al Shehhi will have a point to prove when he meets Brazilian Leonardo Mario after losing to him in the Abu Dhabi World Professional Championship bantamweight final last November.
“The ADXC is a new concept and it’s already popular and obviously I’m excited to experience this contest,” Al Shehhi said.
“I have a score to settle with Leonardo and that has motivated me more. It will be our second meeting in six months and of course in a different format, although it’s jiu-jitsu.”
Al Shehhi, 20, is also competing in the Asian Championship and believes the event is an ideal lead-up for his debut in the ADXC.
“As part of the national team we train throughout the year and I’m always ready for the competitions,” Al Shehhi said. “Obviously my focus is on my next fight and it will be great to go into the ADXC with a win in the continental championship."
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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BUNDESLIGA FIXTURES
Friday (all kick-offs UAE time)
Hertha Berlin v Union Berlin (10.30pm)
Saturday
Freiburg v Werder Bremen (5.30pm)
Paderborn v Hoffenheim (5.30pm)
Wolfsburg v Borussia Dortmund (5.30pm)
Borussia Monchengladbach v Bayer Leverkusen (5.30pm)
Bayern Munich v Eintracht Frankfurt (5.30pm)
Sunday
Schalke v Augsburg (3.30pm)
Mainz v RB Leipzig (5.30pm)
Cologne v Fortuna Dusseldorf (8pm)
More coverage from the Future Forum
Singham Again
Director: Rohit Shetty
Stars: Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ranveer Singh, Akshay Kumar, Tiger Shroff, Deepika Padukone
Rating: 3/5
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Constant Variable (CVT)
Power: 141bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: Dh64,500
On sale: Now
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Which honey takes your fancy?
Al Ghaf Honey
The Al Ghaf tree is a local desert tree which bears the harsh summers with drought and high temperatures. From the rich flowers, bees that pollinate this tree can produce delicious red colour honey in June and July each year
Sidr Honey
The Sidr tree is an evergreen tree with long and strong forked branches. The blossom from this tree is called Yabyab, which provides rich food for bees to produce honey in October and November. This honey is the most expensive, but tastiest
Samar Honey
The Samar tree trunk, leaves and blossom contains Barm which is the secret of healing. You can enjoy the best types of honey from this tree every year in May and June. It is an historical witness to the life of the Emirati nation which represents the harsh desert and mountain environments
The candidates
Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive
Ali Azeem, business leader
Tony Booth, professor of education
Lord Browne, former BP chief executive
Dr Mohamed El-Erian, economist
Professor Wyn Evans, astrophysicist
Dr Mark Mann, scientist
Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner
Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister
Sandi Toksvig, broadcaster
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
If you go
The flights
There are direct flights from Dubai to Sofia with FlyDubai (www.flydubai.com) and Wizz Air (www.wizzair.com), from Dh1,164 and Dh822 return including taxes, respectively.
The trip
Plovdiv is 150km from Sofia, with an hourly bus service taking around 2 hours and costing $16 (Dh58). The Rhodopes can be reached from Sofia in between 2-4hours.
The trip was organised by Bulguides (www.bulguides.com), which organises guided trips throughout Bulgaria. Guiding, accommodation, food and transfers from Plovdiv to the mountains and back costs around 170 USD for a four-day, three-night trip.
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The biog
Age: 23
Occupation: Founder of the Studio, formerly an analyst at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi
Education: Bachelor of science in industrial engineering
Favourite hobby: playing the piano
Favourite quote: "There is a key to every door and a dawn to every dark night"
Family: Married and with a daughter
Best Academy: Ajax and Benfica
Best Agent: Jorge Mendes
Best Club : Liverpool
Best Coach: Jurgen Klopp (Liverpool)
Best Goalkeeper: Alisson Becker
Best Men’s Player: Cristiano Ronaldo
Best Partnership of the Year Award by SportBusiness: Manchester City and SAP
Best Referee: Stephanie Frappart
Best Revelation Player: Joao Felix (Atletico Madrid and Portugal)
Best Sporting Director: Andrea Berta (Atletico Madrid)
Best Women's Player: Lucy Bronze
Best Young Arab Player: Achraf Hakimi
Kooora – Best Arab Club: Al Hilal (Saudi Arabia)
Kooora – Best Arab Player: Abderrazak Hamdallah (Al-Nassr FC, Saudi Arabia)
Player Career Award: Miralem Pjanic and Ryan Giggs
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EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBERS
Estijaba – 8001717 – number to call to request coronavirus testing
Ministry of Health and Prevention – 80011111
Dubai Health Authority – 800342 – The number to book a free video or voice consultation with a doctor or connect to a local health centre
Emirates airline – 600555555
Etihad Airways – 600555666
Ambulance – 998
Knowledge and Human Development Authority – 8005432 ext. 4 for Covid-19 queries
THE CLOWN OF GAZA
Director: Abdulrahman Sabbah
Starring: Alaa Meqdad
Rating: 4/5
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Springtime in a Broken Mirror,
Mario Benedetti, Penguin Modern Classics
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Fanney Khan
Producer: T-Series, Anil Kapoor Productions, ROMP, Prerna Arora
Director: Atul Manjrekar
Cast: Anil Kapoor, Aishwarya Rai, Rajkummar Rao, Pihu Sand
Rating: 2/5
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The specs: 2018 Mercedes-Benz E 300 Cabriolet
Price, base / as tested: Dh275,250 / Dh328,465
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder
Power: 245hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 370Nm @ 1,300rpm
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 7.0L / 100km
