Abu Dhabi: The UAE junior Jiu-Jitsu national team returned with a rich haul of medals from their maiden appearance at the European Kids Open Championship in Lisbon, Portugal on Wednesday.
Ahmad Badr and Saeed Al Shamsi struck gold besides the five silver and eight bronze medals for the UAE to finish as the second-highest medal winners among the 50 participating nations in the four-day competition from January 21 to 25.
Mansour Al Baloushi, Mubarak Al Nomani, Mohammad Al Baloushi, Obaid Al Nuaimi and Fahad Al Mansouri were the silver medallists while Mansour Al Ketbi, Khalifa Al Suwaidi, Khalifa Al Nastri, Suleiman Al Hinai, Abdul Rahman Al Nuaimi, Mohammad Al Baloushi and Fahad Ali Al Mansouri won bronze.
Fahad Ali Al Shamsi, the chief executive of UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation congratulated the squad on their arrival in Abu Dhabi and praised their achievements as “real good motivation” in the team’s future endeavors.
“The success of our squad is the result of the continuous hard work and their efforts, and we believe these young champions are the key and a real investment for the future of jiu-jitsu in the country.”
The European Jiu-Jitsu Open Championship is the second overseas participation for the youngsters after their achievement of 45 medals at the American National Kids Championship in October 2014 in Los Angeles.
Meanwhile, the Abu Dhabi Jiu-Jitsu Kids Open Championship will be held under the aegis of the UAEJJF at the FGB Arena, Zayed sports City on Friday and Saturday. This competition is the third for the youngsters after the Al Ain and the Emirates Super Cup for the 2014-2015 season.
