Abu Dhabi: Top-class jiu-jitsu returns to the UAE capital this weekend with the prestigious President’s Cup for under-16s to be held at the Jiu-Jitsu Arena in the capital where players from various clubs and academies are expected to take to the mats on April 8-9 across numerous weight categories.
Organised by the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation (UAEJJF), the governing body for the sport in the country, the under-16 competitions will be open to athletes aged 14 and 15, with boys competing in weight divisions of 46, 50, 55, 60, 66, 73 and 84kg; and girls competing in 48, 57 and 69kg weight categories.
The fights begin on Friday with a weigh-in session scheduled for between 4 and 6pm, followed by elimination rounds from 9pm. The final competitions and coronation ceremonies will be held on Saturday.
Special place
“We are pleased to launch the President’s Cup during Ramadan,” said Fahad Ali Al Shamsi, secretary general of the UAEJJF. “It is the most valuable tournament on the local scene and holds a special place in the hearts of participants and the jiu-jitsu community as a whole.
“This year, we’ve made some significant updates to the tournament to improve competition levels and performance quality by separating the competitions for the under-16, under-18 and adults categories. The new format will ensure maximum representation of players and top-level competitions.”
The previous edition of the President’s Cup saw the addition of a women’s category resulting in outstanding performances by Emirati athletes. Palms Sports Academy Team 777 took the first place in the adults’ category, while Sharjah Self-Defence Sports Club took first place in the Under-18 and Al Wahda took the top honours in the Under-16 categories respectively. In the men’s category, Baniyas Club won the adults and under-18 categories, while Sharjah Self-Defence Sports Club took the first place in the under-16 division.
