ABU DHABI 10 October 2017: The UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation (UAEJJF) announced the completion of its preparations for the launch of the Al Ain International Jiu-Jitsu Championship U18 to be held October 13 and 14 at UAE University (UAEU) in Al Ain.
The U18 championship will host male and female athletes of all nationalities, who will be competing in various categories.
Female contenders will compete on day one of the championship, and males will compete on day two of the championship.
According to the UAEJJF, the registration of U18 participants for the championship opened in June and closed on October 7.
Widespread Participation
Next weekend’s championship has attracted a growing number of participants and athletes from clubs including the Al Jazira Club, Al Ain Club, Al Wahda Club, Ajman Club, and Emirates Club.
Among the athletes participating in the tournament are Khalifa Al Kaabi, Omar Al Fadhli, Hamed Al Hanaei, Khaled Al Shehhi, and others. The tournament will also feature a strong participation of female athletes, including Bashayer Al Matroushi, Reem Al Hashemi, Moza Al Shamsi, Balqis Abdul Karim, and Shama Al Kalbani among other champions from the UAE National Jiu-Jitsu Team.
The championship is expected to witness strong competition amongst athletes, as a number of the champions have competed in international competitions and championships already this season. The expertise gained thus far through such competitions has enabled and enhanced the expertise of the competitors and will be showcased in the Al Ain International Jiu-Jitsu Championship U18.
Early Age
The Al Ain International Jiu-Jitsu Championship U18 is a tribute to the UAE’s commitment to organizing and hosting the world’s most prestigious Jiu-Jitsu championships, and proof of the extent to which this sport is rooted in the country as a capital of Jiu-Jitsu. The championship further serves to highlight the role of Al Ain as a promising and internationally-competitive hub for the sport, as the UAEJJF hosts a myriad of highly-skilled kid and youth athletes.
Regarding the upcoming championship, Fahd Al Shamsi, CEO of the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation, said: “The Al Ain International Jiu-Jitsu Championship U18 is an integral event within our 2017/18 agenda; as this championship—alongside our many other championships scheduled for this season—seeks to discover and refine the talents of our youth from an early age. The variety of training programs and tournaments that we host support our young athletes, which falls in line with the directives of the UAEJJF to provide a competitive environment that fosters excellence in sportsmanship in regional and international levels.”
“Year after year, we have witnessed an increasing number of participating athletes who have expressed interest in Jiu-Jitsu. As such, I’d like to thank the organizers of UAEU for their facilities and for their ongoing support. We are delighted to continue moving forward with spreading Jiu-Jitsu amongst the athletic community of the UAE and to establishing this sporting culture,” Al Shamsi added.
Upcoming Competitions
The UAEJJF is preparing for the Al Ain International Pro Jiu-Jitsu Championship on October 20 and 21.
The event calendar for the month of November includes three championship events: the Mother of the Nation Jiu-Jitsu Championship—2nd Round will be held November 3; the President’s Jiu-Jitsu Cup—2nd Round will be held for UAE clubs on November 4; and the Al Shaheed Jiu-Jitsu Championship will be held November 24 and 25.
The Dubai International Pro Championship will be held on December 8 and 9, and the President’s Jiu-Jitsu Cup—3rd Round will be held on December 23.