Dubai [UAE]: Sharjah Self-Defence Sports Club claimed the top spot in the second round of the Khaled bin Mohamed Bin Zayed Jiu-Jitsu Championship, which featured No-Gi competitions at Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai on Sunday.
Organised by the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation, the championship drew athletes from various categories, including Youth, Adults, and Masters.
The day-long event saw elite athletes from the UAE’s premier clubs and academies thrilling the audience with their technical excellence, energised by loud cheers of enthusiastic fans and family members.
At the end of Sunday’s competitions, Sharjah Self-Defence Sports Club emerged victorious, while M.O.D UAE took second place, and Al Ain Jiu-Jitsu Club secured third.
The championship follows a comprehensive ranking system that recognises clubs and athletes based on performance and results across the five-round series. In the first round of Gi competitions held last month at Mubadala Arena in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain Club topped the medal table, with Sharjah Self-Defence Sports Club in second place and Baniyas Club in third.
The competitions were attended by Sheikh Suhail bin Butti Suhail Al Maktoum, Executive Director of the Sports Development Sector at the General Authority of Sports; Sheikh Tariq bin Faisal Al Qassimi; Abdulmunem Alsayed Mohammed Alhashmi, Chairman of the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation, President of the Asian Jiu-Jitsu Union, and Senior Vice President of the International Jiu-Jitsu Federation; Mohamed Salem Al Dhaheri, Vice Chairman of the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation; Youssef Al Batran, Board Member of the Federation; Ahmed Abdul Rahman Al Owais, Chairman of Sharjah Self-Defence Sports Club; Mansour Al Ketbi, Executive Director of Digital and Corporate Services at Mubadala Investment Company; Nasser Alabdool, Regional Manager at Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank; Fawzia Faridoun, Acting Director of Sports Events Department at the Dubai Sports Council, and representatives from partners, sponsors, and participating clubs.
Sheikh Suhail bin Butti Suhail Al Maktoum expressed his happiness and pride in the organisation and level of competition at the Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Jiu-Jitsu Championship. He also extended his gratitude and appreciation to the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation for their efforts in making this championship a success and recognised its efforts to solidifying the UAE’s global leadership in jiu-jitsu.
“The championship reflects the significant progress of jiu-jitsu in the UAE, as these championships contribute to elevating the sport’s status at both local and international levels.This pioneering event exemplifies our commitment at the General Authority of Sports to support and host initiatives that raise awareness and encourage younger generations to engage in sports, develop their skills, and compete at the highest levels.”
He also thanked the participating teams, emphasising the importance of collective efforts and enhanced cooperation to achieve more sporting successes and solidify the UAE’s leadership in international sporting arenas.
Mohamed Salem Al Dhaheri praised the success of the second round of the championship, highlighting that this achievement is a direct result of the limitless support from the UAE’s wise leadership.
Al Dhaheri emphasised that the leadership’s support has been the cornerstone of the significant strides the country has made in the realm of sports, particularly jiu-jitsu, enabling our athletes to excel on various platforms.