335 fighters in fray for Dubai Jiu-Jitsu event
Sport has grown remarkably in the UAE, Al Dhaheri says
Dubai: The new jiu-jitsu season gets underway with the second Dubai Jiu-Jitsu Open Championship at Al Wasl Sports Club this Friday and Saturday.
Almost 335 fighters will compete across five belt divisions in two categories, both with and without kimono.
The event was the first of its kind to be held outside of Abu Dhabi last year when it was launched as the Asian Jiu Jitsu Open Cup. The tournament returns in rebranded form with 119 Emirati participants this year, spearheaded by Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu Jitsu Championship gold medallist and first Emirati black belt Faisal Al Ketbi.
Mohammad Al Dhaheri, board member of the UAE Jiu Jitsu Federation, said the event’s return to Dubai signalled successful attempts to spread the sport beyond the capital, and he announced future plans to hold similar events in other emirates, for men, women and children.
“We, at the federation, are striving hard to improve the quality of competitions, increase participation and draw new audiences to the sport in all emirates,” he said. “We are delighted to say, jiu jitsu has grown remarkably well over the past few years and is still growing.
“Our vision is to take the sport to the highest point within the country and internationally. We have a long way to go to achieve this objective but we are on the right path.
“The federation aims to spread the sport throughout the UAE and focus on supporting young talent which is why we have scheduled events in Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah for the first time this season.”
Putting jiu jitsu on the curriculum at local schools is just one way the federation hopes to spread the sport nationwide. A similar scheme in Abu Dhabi has already seen 40,000 boys and girls take to the sport from over 100 schools.
Fahad Al Shamsi, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the UAE Jiu Jitsu Federation, said: “The school project aims to invest the talents and energies of our youth. It is a huge success and our next target would be introducing it in the curriculum of the schools in other emirates.”
The weekend’s event is held under the patronage of Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Sports Council and is sponsored by the International Petroleum Investment Company (IPIC).
