ABU DHABI: The final leg of the season’s Jiu-Jitsu President’s Cup tournament concluded on Sunday with Baniyas Club dominating the men’s and women’s adult divisions on the final day of the competition at Abu Dhabi’s Jiu-Jitsu Arena.
Al-Wahda bagged second place in the men’s category, while Al-Ain took third. Al-Wahda and Sharjah Self-Defense Sports Club finished second and third, respectively, in the women’s category. The two-day final round of the event had been preceded in previous weekends by the under-16s and under-18s competitions.
An awards ceremony for the winners was held on Saturday night in the presence of His Excellency Hazza bin Khalifa bin Shakhbut Al-Nahyan. Abdel Moneim Al-Hashemi, chairman of the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation, president of the Ju-Jitsu Asian Union, and senior vice president of the International Jiu-Jitsu Federation, honored the teams that secured the first three places.
Al-Hashemi congratulated the champions and complimented the local clubs and academies for their commitment to supporting the federation’s strategy to discover and promote new talents.
He said: “The new competition structure, which separates competitors into under-16s, under-18s, and adults has proven to be a game-changer. It provided an opportunity for the players to shine, and the teams’ technical staff will have drawn great insights into their players.
“The dazzling performance we saw over the past three weeks indicates how far our athletes have progressed and how well they are prepared for the upcoming competitions.”
Fahad Al-Shamsi, secretary-general of the UAEJJF, said: “The President’s Cup has seen incredible success in the past three weeks and this event has established a strong platform for all jiu-jitsu enthusiasts across the Emirates. The tournament was a big success this year, with more clubs, academies, and players participating than ever before.
“We’ve seen a rise too in the number of families and parents encouraging their children to join in this sport, which shows more people are grasping its many benefits.”
On her team’s achievement, Baniyas’ Maitha Shreim said: “Winning the championship was an incomparable feeling.”
Men’s team counterpart Zayed Al-Kathiri said: “I thank all my colleagues who worked hard to make the most valuable and priceless efforts to defend the title. I’d like to also thank the club’s management for their assistance in providing such great technical and training equipment, which has helped us improve on every step of this journey.”
