Today's Edition
ABU DHABI (WAM)
The eighth Jiu-Jitsu Asian Championship, held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Chairman of Abu Dhabi Executive Council, will commence at Mubadala Arena on Friday.
The Jiu-Jitsu National Team, eyeing the championship title for the fourth consecutive year, successfully passed the weigh-in stage.
Director of the Technical Department at the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation, Mubarak Saleh Al Menhali, highlighted the UAE‘s significant participation, with more than 100 athletes competing across weight divisions.
“I appreciate the efforts of the technical staff and athletes, who have dedicated weeks to rigorous training in preparation for this competition. Their hard work during the intensive training camps has elevated the national team's technical and physical skills, preparing them for the competitions,” Al Menhali said.
The championship will see the participation of 30 countries, including Afghanistan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Chinese Taipe, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Iran, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Malaysia, Mongolia, Pakistan, Palestine, the Philippines, and South Korea. Additionally, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Syria, Tajikistan, Thailand, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Yemen, as well as the host country, the UAE.
Kazakhstan tops the list with the largest delegation, comprising 300 athletes, followed by the UAE with 129, Uzbekistan with 116, India with 68, Mongolia with 60, and South Korea with 58.
The UAE national team aims to claim the championship title for the fourth consecutive year, following victories in Abu Dhabi (2021), Manama (2022), and Bangkok (2023).
Notably, in the 5th edition of the championship hosted by Abu Dhabi, the team secured 18 medals, including 4 gold, 4 silver, and 10 bronze.
Coach of the UAE Jiu-Jitsu National Women’s Team, Marina Ribeiro, expressed full confidence in the team's ability to retain the title.
“We have finalised our training regimen and strategy for the championship. Our team members are showing great confidence, and we wish them the best,” she said.
President of the Kazakhstan Jiu-Jitsu Association, Sagiyev Kuat, affirmed the team‘s readiness for the championship.
“With a strong team of 70 athletes in the adult division, we are well-prepared to improve upon our second-place finish last year. Our preparations have been thorough since the previous edition, and we are determined to claim the top spot,” he added.
“I commend Abu Dhabi for its efforts in promoting the sport globally, organising major events, and fostering collaborations within the jiu-jitsu community,” Kuat added.
Coach for the Philippine Team, Allan Marcus, also expressed optimism for his team.
“We‘ve assembled a formidable team of 25 athletes, which includes gold medallists from the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games and 2023 World Combat Games, who have been training rigorously. With everyone clearing the weigh-in stage, we are focusing on fine-tuning our preparations,” he added.
