Our national jiu-jitsu team raises its tally to 11 medals and enhances its chances of retaining the Asian Championship title
– Two silver and two bronze, the tally of the UAE champions on the second day.
– Al-Batran: A strong performance by the champions and retaining the title is the top priority.
ABU DHABI, 4th May / WAM / Our national jiu-jitsu team continues its strong performance during its participation in the eighth edition of the Asian Jiu-Jitsu Championship, which is being held under the generous patronage of His Highness Sheikh Khalid bin Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Chairman of the Executive Council of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, at the Mubadala Arena, With the participation of 1,500 players, both male and female, from more than 30 countries.
The stars of our national team were able to raise the country’s tally to 11 colored medals, including 3 gold, 4 silver, and 4 bronze in the jiu-jitsu competitions in the weight categories of 62 kg and 69 kg for men, and weights of 57 kg and 70 kg for women, enhancing our team’s chances of retaining the title.
Today’s competitions were attended by Panayiotos Theodoroupolis, President of the International Jiu-Jitsu Federation, His Excellency Abdel Moneim Al-Sayyed Mohammed Al Hashemi, President of the Emirati and Asian Federations and First Vice President of the International Jiu-Jitsu Federation, His Excellency Mohammed Salem Al Dhaheri, Vice President of the Emirates Jiu-Jitsu Federation, Yousef Abdullah Al-Batran, Member of the Federation’s Board of Directors, and Fahd Ali Al Shamsi, Secretary. General of the Emirati and Asian Jiu-Jitsu Federations, and a number of heads of national federations and representatives of participating delegations.
In the second day’s competitions, Saturday, the UAE champions succeeded in adding 4 colored medals, two silver, won by Mahra Mahfouz, weighing 70 kg, and Khaled Al Shehhi, weighing 62 kg, and two bronze medals won by Shamsa Al Amri, weighing 57 kg, and Mohammed. The Swede weighs 69 kg.
His Excellency Yousef Abdullah Al-Batran, a member of the Board of Directors of the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation, praised the performance of the national team players and their success in moving one step closer to retaining the title, pointing out that good preparation for the tournament leads the country towards achieving a new continental sporting achievement.
He said: We feel proud of the talent that our national team includes, especially since with every tournament in which it participates, the true value of the strategic reserve that the state possesses is highlighted to us, in terms of promising male and female players, and retaining the title always remains our top priority.
Muhammad Saif al-Islam, one of the founders of the Bangladesh Jiu-Jitsu Federation and the coach of the team participating in the tournament, praised the role of the UAE and the capital, Abu Dhabi, in spreading the sport of Jiu-Jitsu and its continuous development, stressing that Abu Dhabi’s experience constitutes a source of inspiration for countries aspiring to move the scene of Jiu-Jitsu to advanced levels.
He praised the impressive organization of the competitions, pointing out the importance of the event in providing an important platform for players, allowing them to showcase their skills and test their abilities against the continent’s most distinguished players.
On the future of the game in Bangladesh; Saif Al-Islam said: We are committed to developing jiu-jitsu in our country and we have a road map that focuses on preparing and qualifying talent, relying on local training expertise.
He added: We are keen to benefit from partnerships with other federations and participate in continental and international championships such as the Asian Jiu-Jitsu Championship, based on our keenness to build a strong foundation for the future of Jiu-Jitsu in Bangladesh.
National team player Mahra Mahfouz, who won silver in the 70 kg weight class, said, “An important achievement that came after weeks of serious training and commitment, coupled with the continuous support of my coaches and teammates in the national team.”
She added: I was aspiring to get the gold medal, but I am proud of this honorable opportunity to represent my country, the Emirates, and raise its flag at the level of Asia. I extend my thanks to our wise leadership and the Emirates Jiu-Jitsu Federation for their unlimited support, which was a pivotal factor in the process of the team’s achievements and the Emirati sport of jiu-jitsu.
Khaled Al Shehhi also won silver in the 62 kg weight category after decisive fights. He said: I faced strong opponents in a category in which the competition was difficult, explaining that this highlights the importance of training, strong preparations, and team spirit.
He added: My permanent goal is to win gold, but every fight has its own circumstances, and perhaps the silver medal is an incentive for me to make more efforts to continue achieving achievements. I extend my thanks, gratitude and appreciation to the wise leadership and the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation, because they were our best support and provided us with all the ingredients for success.
On the other hand, the Asian Jiu-Jitsu Federation signed a cooperation and partnership agreement with the Kuwaiti Jiu-Jitsu Committee. The signing was done on behalf of the Asian Federation by Fahd Ali Al-Shamsi, Secretary-General, and on behalf of the Kuwaiti Jiu-Jitsu Committee by Abdullah Al-Saqabi, Vice Chairman of the Committee.
The agreement aims to support, develop and sponsor the sport of jiu-jitsu in the continent of Asia and the State of Kuwait alike, including resources, marketing strategies, and the exchange of information and expertise in various fields, including leadership, management, design and construction of sports facilities, development of coaches and sports medicine, and programs for developing national teams and sports clubs. Organizing training and arbitration camps for sports teams and clubs.
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