Lebanese judoka Aquelina Al-Shayeb finished seventh at the “Abu Dhabi Grand Prix” in the United Arab Emirates.
The event is one of the most important judo grand prix competitions in the world. The result earned her valuable points in the international rankings.
It also strengthened her chances in the race to qualify for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
Al-Shayeb competed in the under-78 kg category and delivered a standout performance against some of the world’s top athletes.
She secured two important victories: the first against a Belgian player ranked 38th in the world, and the second against her Australian opponent, ranked 14th in the world.
In the quarterfinals, the Lebanese champion lost to a British player ranked 13th in the world after extra time. The British athlete went on to win the bronze medal in the tournament, which reflects the strength of the competition and the high technical level Al-Shayeb reached.
The Lebanese delegation was accompanied during the event by François Saadé Junior, director of the Lebanese Judo Federation and its branches, who followed the team’s participation and supported the Lebanese champion in this important international event.
