Dubai: Ramos Lemos, the head coach of the UAE jiu-jitsu national team, is convinced the second summer training camp will ensure the athletes are in prime condition for challenges during the season ahead.
The UAE’s leading male jiu-jitsu athletes have begun fine-tuning their preparations for a busy end to the 2020 during their second summer training camp, organised by the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation (UAEJJF) in Abu Dhabi.
The three-week camp, that runs until August 23 in collaboration with International Vision Investment Group (IVI) at the Armed Forces Club, is also meant to provide a platform for aspiring young amateurs to pick up tips and advice from some of the country’s best fighters and guidance from the federation’s leading coaches.
Lemos, the head coach of the UAE jiu-jitsu national team, was thrilled with the exposure and experience gained by all the fighters. “Many of our fighters have been training regularly since May and through this camp we can effectively measure their progress,” Lemos said.
“The end of the year will be a busy time for the national team with a number of competitions and we are focusing on tailoring training schedules with an eye on the specific types of opponents that our fighters are expecting to face at the ADWPJJC 2020 and the Jiu-Jitsu World Championship,” the coach admitted.
The end of the year will be a busy time for the national team with a number of competitions and we are focusing on tailoring training schedules with an eye on the specific types of opponents that our fighters are expecting to face at the ADWPJJC 2020 and the Jiu-Jitsu World Championship
Recently, the UAE JJF announced its intentions to host its showpiece 2020 Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship (ADWPJJC) and the Jiu-Jitsu World Championship later in November. The UAE national team’s coaching staff are using the camp to assess the technical levels of their athletes ahead of a pursuit of glory on the global stage while also keeping in mind the Asian Beach Games and the Asian Indoor Games.
The second summer training camp has a healthy mix of more than 70 participants at varying stages of development in the sport and Lemos said the presence of seasoned fighters in the same group will greatly help young athletes just starting out in the sport.
“This camp is a great opportunity for young players to observe and interact with some of the best fighters in the country. It can serve as inspiration for youngsters to share a mat with some of the UAE’s biggest heroes. This is a chance to discover stars of the future, but most importantly to instill a passion for the sport from a young age,” Lemos noted.
Mubarak Al Menhali, the technical director at the UAE JJF, added that the camp aligns with the federation’s commitment to ensure the athletes are fully prepared for the ADWPJJC and a busy season ahead.
“We are keeping a close eye on the conditioning of our fighters. We want our fighters to stay fresh and ready for prestigious tournaments such as the ADWPJJC and for the national team’s commitments,” he said.
“The UAE JJF has facilitated the resumption of training for our athletes following the enforced break through these camps and competitions. We are committed to providing more such avenues for our athletes to make the most of their talent and bring glory to the nation on the international stage,” Al Menhali added.
