Sofia Sarvari, an Afghan athlete, won the silver medal at the 2026 World Jiu-Jitsu Championships in Abu Dhabi after securing second place in the 44-kilogram GI category.
Sarvari defeated Yasmina Yelyubayeva of Kazakhstan 7–0 in her opening match, securing her place in the final.
In the final bout, Sofia Sarvari faced Brazilian competitor Caterine Mota Varto.
The match ended in a 1–1 draw; however, the judges declared the Brazilian athlete the winner, leaving Sarvari in second place.
Four athletes competed in this weight category. At the end of the competition, Caterine Mota Varto of Brazil took first place, Sofia Sarvari of Afghanistan finished second, Yasmina Yelyubayeva of Kazakhstan secured third place, and Laura Silva, another Brazilian competitor, came fourth.
It is also worth noting that, apart from Laura Silva, who was 12 years old, the other three athletes in this category were 13 years old.
Sofia Sarvari’s achievement as runner-up at the 2026 World Jiu-Jitsu Championships comes at a time when women’s and girls’ sports activities in Afghanistan are banned under restrictions imposed by the authorities.
