New season aims to build on Asian Cup success
The new UAE jiu-jitsu season gets under way this weekend as part of 16 domestic competitions that climaxes with the Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship next April.
Friday will see Round 1 of the Mother of Nation for Emirati women, with the first installment of President’s Cup for Emirati men on Saturday. Both events will be held at Zayed Sports City’s Mubadala Arena in Abu Dhabi.
A new addition to the calendar is the Vice President’s Cup – named after Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid – also over three rounds.
The launch of the domestic season comes on the back of a superb performance by the UAE jiu-jitsu team at the Asian Games in Jakarta, where Emiratis returned with two golds, five silvers and two bronze medals.
“We won nine medals from a total of 14 won by the UAE at the Asian Games, Salem Al Dhaheri, vice chairman of the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation (UAEJJF), said at yesterday’s launch of the new season at the Ritz Carlton hotel in Abu Dhabi. “This is a remarkable achievement and reward for work of the federation.”
“The success we are enjoying now because of the federation’s vision since launching the jiu-jitsu school programme in 2008.” The programme was launched after the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the UAEJJF and the Abu Dhabi Education Council to include the martial sport in the public school curriculum.
“Our goal is to keep producing more and more of jiu-jitsu fighters and remain as a leader both locally and internationally,” Al Dhaheri said. “We have also established a jiu-jitsu family globally and it’s continuing to grow with more and more members joining.”
According to Fouad Darwish, general manager of Palms Sports, the technical arm of the UAEJJF, the number of blue belts – the highest rating for juniors Under 18 – has crossed 20,000 in the country. “This is an accomplishment to reach this milestone in 10 years of the school programme,” he said.
Yousif Al Batran, a member of the UAEJJF’s board of directors, added: “We want to spread jiu-jitsu for each and everyone in the country whether it be for competition, recreation or for fitness.”