UAE Jiu Jitsu athletes return to action with summer camps
First of two training camps to commence in Abu Dhabi from July 5
Dubai: One of the top officials from the UAE Jiu Jitsu Federation (UAEJJF) is confident the country will have the best talent coming to the fore following a return to action later this week.
The UAEJJF has announced a couple of summer training camps that will see leading male fighters getting a chance to stake their claim for a place in the national jiu-jitsu squad.
Organised by the UAEJJF, the governing body for the sport in the UAE, in partnership with International Vision Investment Group (IVI) in July and August, the camps will give the young fighters an opportunity to carry forward their skills.
The first training camp will run from July 5-25, while the second one has been slated to be held from August 2-22. The fighters will undergo regular daily training sessions at the Jiu-Jitsu Arena situated at the Zayed Sports City in Abu Dhabi.
“The UAE has a steadily growing number of gifted and young fighters, and the goal of these two training camps is to ease back fighters into action,” Mubarak Al Menhali, Technical Director, UAEJJF, said.
“We are trying to ensure that fighters from all nationalities across jiu-jitsu clubs get the chance to train under our renowned coaches and push their case, whether for a place in the national team to represent the UAE in international competition, or to improve their skills on the mat,” he added.
In May, the UAEJJF became the first sporting body in the Middle East to re-commence activity following the COVID-19 pandemic through a special closed training camp that saw more than 60 elite jiu-jitsu fighters take to the mats.
The camp also saw two competitions being organised – a Refresher Jiu-Jitsu Championship and a Jiu-Jitsu Champions Challenge - to provide fighters with valuable match practice.
“We had a really encouraging response to the first closed training camp in May, with both fighters and the coaching team appreciating the chance to get back on to the mat after a break and work on improving themselves technically and physically,” Al Menhali noted.
“These next two training camps are an extension of that preparation as the jiu-jitsu community looks to return to competitive action,” he added.
In line with its mission to grow the sport, the UAEJJF has also extended the invite to male jiu-jitsu players over the age of 14 from all UAE clubs, regardless of level of technical skill and experience, presenting the perfect opportunity for those looking to continue developing on their jiu-jitsu journey to train alongside the best.
The UAEJJF has put in place a series of stringent safety protocols to safeguard the health and wellness of all participants and coaching staff during the camps.
Each participant will undergo a COVID-19 test on arrival at the camp, at the Armed Forces Club and Hotel in Abu Dhabi, and will isolate until they receive their results.
With a packed scheduled of competitive international jiu-jitsu planned for the last quarter of 2020, including the prestigious Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship, the camps are an opportunity for fighters to catch the eye of the coaching staff and bag a coveted spot to represent their country, or for players to improve their technical skills in proximity to the country’s top stars and coaches.