Winter Paralympics triumphant Khamitov wins world title in para jiu-jitsu
Decorated Kazakh athlete Yerbol Khamitov won a gold medal at the Abu Dhabi World Para Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2026 as part of the 18th Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship, Qazinform News Agency reports.
Competing in the Men's Para Jiu-Jitsu (Class A3) purple belt division, the Kazakh athlete left his opponents no chance to win the tournament.
According to the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation (UAEJJF), Yerbol Khamitov's path to the title was as follows.
In the semifinals, Khamitov secured a convincing victory over Brazil's Jackson Ribeiro (Commando Group).
In the gold medal match, the Kazakh fighter faced the United States' Rustin Hughes (US ParaJitsu Team), who had earlier beaten Ribeiro 10-2 in a consolation bout. Yerbol Khamitov sealed the title in a resounding 13-2 victory.
Thus, the Class A3 medals went to:
- Gold — Yerbol Khamitov (Kazakhstan)
- Silver — Rustin Hughes (USA)
- Bronze — Jackson Ribeiro (Brazil)
After the awards ceremony, the Kazakh athlete shared photos from the top of the podium on his Instagram page, captioning the post briefly: "Best moment pictures. Para JiuJitsu World Championships. World Champion."
The victory adds another medal to the impressive collection of the 29-year-old Kazakh athlete in 2026. Earlier, Khamitov made history at the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games, winning gold in biathlon and bronze in cross-country skiing.