Dubai: The Jiu-Jitsu Championship, one of the highlights of the 10th NAS Sports Tournament, will take place on Friday at the Nad Al Sheba Sports Complex.
Organised by the Dubai Sports Council under the theme ‘Limitless Abilities’, the NAS Sports Tournament has been one of the top sporting attractions during Ramadan since 2013. The 10th edition will feature competitions in eight sports disciplines, including volleyball, padel tennis, Jiu-Jitsu, archery, fencing, wheelchair basketball, running, and cycling.
The one-day jiu-jitsu event, organised by the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation in collaboration with the Dubai Sports Council, will feature athletes from various clubs and academies battling in juvenile, adult and masters’ divisions across both men and women categories.
Gaining importance
The NAS Sports Jiu-Jitsu Tournament 2023 will feature fights in five categories, including Men’s Juvenile (Blue & Purple), Adult (Blue & Purple, Brown & Black), and Master (Blue & Purple, Brown & Black) divisions. Women athletes can participate in Adult (Blue & Purple, Brown & Black) and Junior (Blue & Purple) divisions.
Fahad Ali Al Shamsi, Secretary-General of the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation, said: “The NAS Sports Tournament is gaining more importance every year. It draws participants from all walks of life who want to keep active and in shape. There is a high demand for participation in the competition, especially given that the event provides players with an excellent opportunity to hone their skills, as it brings together a group of world-class professional players,” he added.
Jiu-jitsu in the UAE has evolved to become the country’s national sport, with a host of national, regional and international events being held in the country.
Various medals
Abu Dhabi has continuously rolled out its mats, hosting events such as the Jiu-Jitsu World Championships, the Asian Championships, and the ADWPJJC, where various Emirati male and female champions have successfully represented their country and won various medals. Multiple domestic championships and training programmes have also contributed to this growth.
Meanwhile, the padel competition, which began on Thursday, will continue until April 9.
Tremendous growth
Hosts UAE, who won the inaugural Gulf Padel Cup last year, are among the strong contenders for the NAS International Padel Competition.
Besides the UAE, Egypt, Qatar, Iran, Japan, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia are other teams in the fray.
Padel continues to gain major traction in the country, with scores of new world-class facilities enhancing grassroots adoption and interest in the sport.
