UAE athletes grab 12 medals in jiu-jitsu competition at NAS Sports Tournament
Obaid Saeed Al Ketbi spearheaded the UAE’S triumph by securing gold in the Juvenile Male 52kg category, overcoming Brazil’s Juan Rocha
UAE athletes’ showcased remarkable prowess by securing an impressive tally of twelve medals on opening day of the Jiu-jitsu competition at the 11th Nad Al Sheba Sports Tournament.
Held at the Nad Al Sheba Sports Complex, the host nation’s competitors clinched four gold, four silver, and four bronze medals, asserting their dominance across different categories for Women, Juniors, and Masters.
Sheikh Abdullah Bin Maktoum Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, along with Nasser Aman Al Rahma, Assistant Secretary General of Dubai Sports Council and Vice Chairman of the Organising Commitee, presented medals to the winners.
They were joined by Mohammed Salem Al Dhaheri, Vice Chairman of the UAE Jiu-jitsu Federation, Abdullah Al Zaabi, Director of Competitions of UAE Jiu-jitsu Federation and Hassan Al Mazrouei, Tournament Director of Nad Al Sheba Sports Tournament along with Abdel Moneim Shams El Din, Director of Operations at event sponsors, Tadawi Hospital, during the presentation ceremony.
Nasser Aman Al Rahma expressed his delight and commendation for the high level of competition, emphasizing the remarkable progress and development of Jiu-jitsu in the UAE.
More than 400 participants are participating in Jiu-jitsu competition at NAS Sports Tournament.
He atributed this success to the dedicated efforts of the UAE Jiu-jitsu Federation and the support of its leadership, particularly highlighting the contributions of Abdel Moneim Al Hashemi, Chairman of the UAE Jiu-jitsu Federation, President of the Asian Ju-jitsu Union and Senior Vice President of the International Jiu-jitsu Federation.
“This event demonstrates the high caliber of Jiu-jitsu in the UAE and the sport’s consistent growth over the previous few years. We are happy with the level of performance shown by the competitors across all levels and categories.
“Since we have observed the significance of this sport due to its broad appeal among UAE citizens, we have been eager to keep Jiu-jitsu present at our Nad Al Sheba Sports Tournament,” added Rahma.
Dhaheri appreciated the continuous cooperation and coordination between the UAEJJF and Dubai Sports Council in organising the tournament.
“Extending jiu-jitsu competitions to two days instead of one day in previous editions of the tournament showcases the increased demand for participation, and the efforts of the federation and the tournament’s organising commitee to accommodate the requests by clubs and academies to enrol their athletes to take part in the event. The tournament will also help athletes to sharpen their skills ahead of major upcoming events.”
Leading the UAE charge was Obaid Saeed Al Ketbi, claiming gold in the Juvenile Male 52kg division, outshining Brazil’s Juan Rocha and Lebanon’s Jad Tabbara who setled for second and third places respectively.
In the Juvenile Female 44kg category, Dana Ali Al Breiki, representing Al Jazira, dominated the podium with a clean sweep, followed by her compatriots Haira Al Dhaheri and Ghala Al Blooshi, both from Al Ain, who secured second and third positions.
Aysha Mohamed Al Jneibi, representing Bani Yas Club, showcased her prowess by securing gold in the Juvenile Female 63kg category, surpassing Brazil’s Julia De Oliveira and Egypt’s Menna Hussein Al Rabie, representing Al Ain, who took second and third places respectively.
Home team success continued with Shouk Al Blooshi claiming gold in the Juvenile Female 75kg category, followed by her Al Ain team-mate Khuloud Al Blooshi in second place, while Egypt’s Malak Ahmed Nada Helal Obid secured third place.
Brazilian fighters demonstrated exceptional performance in the men’s divisions, with Thiago Marques, Andre Luiz De Almeida, and Renato Cardoso clinching gold in the Men’s Masters 72kg, 85kg, and 100kg categories respectively.
Launched and supported by Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Executive Council, the 11th NAS Ramadan Sports Tournament will conclude with the volleyball final on March 31.