Abu Dhabi: World Games gold medallist, Faisal Al Ketbi will lead the UAE challenge at the second Asian Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2017 at Quan Ngua sports Palace in Hanoi, Vietnam.
The UAE has sent a strong contingent of 25 fighters for the event comprising of 300 competitors from 20 countries.
Apart from Al Ketbi, other top fighters include Yahia Mansour Al Hammadi, Taleb Al Kirbi, Mohammed Al Qubaisi, Omar Al Fadhli, Zayed Obaid Al Kaabi and Mohammed Al Darmaki.
UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation has also fielded one of their largest women contingents for the event. Among the 11 women fighters is multiple gold medallists Mahra and Maha Al Hinaai, Wadima Al Yafei. Salwa Salim Al Ali and Reem Al Hashmi will also be looking to make their presence felt.
The UAE will be clearly looking to build on their success they achieved at the World Beach tournament in Pattaya, Thailand last month where they won 11 medals, including five golds.
“In Thailand we had good results and we hope for the same in Vietnam,” said UAE national team coach Roberto Lima, who also went on to reveal that the championship will also help in building the team for the 2017 Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan.
“The Asian Championship is the last test for the athletes before the Indoor Games next month, which carry World Ranking points and is also a qualification event for the Asian Games 2018. We have a full team in Vietnam because it is like the final preparations before our main goal which is Asian Indoor Games in Turkmenistan. After this tournament we go for a 25-day intensive training camp in Brazil and then go straight to Turkmenistan,” added the Brazilian.
