Tickets for the event, to be held in partnership with the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), go on sale on Tuesday
sports1 hour ago
In only 10 years, Abu Dhabi has got its own Jiu-Jitsu Federation (UAEJJF), staged top international competitions and earned a reputation as the global capital of jiu-jitsu.
As the 11th edition of ADWPJJC unfolds at Mubadala Arena in Abu Dhabi this week, it may surprise many that Abu Dhabi's biggest jiu-jitsu achievement to date lies at home, within the borders of the UAE.
Much to the delight of Fahad Al Shamsi, chief executive officer of the UAEJJF, the country's boys and girls have seen off challengers from more than 100 countries to emerge as the undisputed champions of this week's Abu Dhabi World Youth Jiu-Jitsu Championship - the dedicated competition for local and international youth at the ADWPJJC 2019.
The UAE also finished second in the Abu Dhabi World Masters Jiu-Jitsu Championship, which concluded on Tuesday.
"We are proud and happy with where we have reached, it shows the quality of our national programme and reflects the work that started 10 years ago when the Federation was established under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces," said Al Shamsi.
"Our vision was to build the culture of the sport in the Emirates - all of the Emirates. Our youth results this week reflect the quality of work conducted with our partners in domestic clubs, the selection and training of coaches and the widespread development of academies across the country. We plan to achieve successful results for years to come and events like this week have shown the rewards of those efforts."
The progress could be seen in the success of the UAE's adult athletes participating in this week's ADWPJJC - the highlight of the global jiu-jitsu calendar.
In the numerous ADWPJJC categories at Mubadala Arena, UAE athletes will share mats with the best athletes from major jiu-jitsu nations including Brazil, USA, Japan, France, Australia and the UK.
Joining them will be hundreds of athletes from emerging talent hotspots such as Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Russian and other nations across the Gulf, wider Asia, Europe, Africa and South America - a traditional conveyor belt for world-class jiu-jitsu practitioners and the source market for many of the UAE's professional coaches now working at clubs across the country.
"It will be very intriguing to see how our talented athletes fare in the Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship," said Al Shamsi. "We do not want to put too much pressure on our athletes because many have been training for a lot less years than their international opponents. But jiu-jitsu has penetrated the depths of Emirati culture, it is a core component of our educational curriculum and national consciousness - thankfully we are seeing that in the new generation. We have high hopes for the UAE's children of jiu-jitsu."
Tickets for the event, to be held in partnership with the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), go on sale on Tuesday
sports1 hour ago
After an Israeli offensive in the border city, White House says the US has made its views clear on Rafah invasion plans
mena1 hour ago
With its favourable tax policies and investor-friendly ecosystem, Dubai is extremely attractive to entrepreneurs worldwide, drawing attention from both Turkish and British investors
kt network1 hour ago
Last year, excavation in the northern part of the settlement uncovered many pottery vessels dating back to the 5th and 6th centuries AD
uae1 hour ago
Badosa and Tsitsipas made their relationship official on social media during last year's French Open
tennis1 hour ago
The six-minute episode features Mendes reading the story alongside illustrations depicting Bluey and his family
entertainment2 hours ago
The actor vividly remembers the moment he received the call confirming his role while driving on the freeway
entertainment2 hours ago
Get set to beat summer with these water pursuits
entertainment2 hours ago