ABU DHABI: The Jiu-Jitsu President’s Cup is to begin on Friday at the Mubadala Arena in Zayed Sports City, with competition for boys and girls in the U-14 and U-16 divisions on the opening day.

The UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation tournament boasts a total value of more than $272,000 (AED 1m) in championship prizes.

“In the coming days, as we observe the holy month, we are making final preparations to organize the hotly anticipated Jiu-Jitsu President’s Cup in the new format,” said Fahad Ali Al-Shamsi, Secretary-General of the UAEJJF. 

“Over the years, the championship has undergone significant improvements and achieved remarkable progress in terms of competition rates and performance quality.

“In recognition of the Jiu-Jitsu President's Cup’s significance as a foundation for developing new and emerging talent, the organizing committee has introduced a new U-14 category to the competitions. This move reflects the UAEJJF’s commitment to enhancing representation among male and female athletes, while also targeting specific age groups. 

He added that the federation wanted to identify and nurture new talent to represent national teams.

Al-Shamsi said he appreciated the clubs and academies for their participation, which was important to boost competitors’ preparedness and ensure that they were well-equipped to represent the country.

The tournament features four categories: under-14, under-16, under-18 and adults. Each is open to male and female athletes. 

The preliminary competitions for the under-14 and under-16 categories start on Friday, the under-18s on Saturday and adult category fights on Sunday.

At the last tournament, Al Ain Club won the the U-16 category of the men’s division, while Baniyas Club were champions in both the U-18 and adult categories. 

Among the women, Palms Sports Academy Team 777 won the U-16 category, while Sharjah Self-Defence Sports Club claimed the U-18 category and Baniyas were champions in the adult category.