Sport

Abu Dhabi rolls out mat for next generation as Jiu-Jitsu Kids C'ship takes centre stage

22 Aug 2021

UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation (UAEJJF) has launched a new championship providing a platform for youngsters aged 4-15 years.

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

The UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation (UAEJJF), the governing body for the sport in the emirates, has launched a new championship designed to give the country’s next generation of athletes a platform to begin their jiu-jitsu journey.

The inaugural edition of the Emirates Jiu-Jitsu Kids Championship will be held at Abu Dhabi’s Jiu-Jitsu Arena on Aug 27-28.

The new championship is aimed at children aged 4-13 and underlines the UAEJJF’s commitment to cement the foundations of jiu-jitsu in the local community, with a focus on engaging youth in the physical and social benefits of the sport.

Mohammed Salem Al Dhaheri, Vice President, UAEJJF, reiterated the values of the tournament in reflecting the federation’s desire to help realise the vision of UAE’s leadership in empowering the country’s youth to pursue success on domestic and individual levels.

“With the overwhelming positive impact of jiu-jitsu, this tournament seeks to encourage as many children as possible to get to know the sport and enjoy healthy competition. The championship complements the efforts of schools in the UAE that have adopted the sport into the curriculum. The number of students now learning jiu-jitsu in schools exceeds 120,000 and this championship is another platform to continue their learning and development,” said Dhaheri.

The Emirates Jiu-Jitsu Kids Championship will see competitions for white, grey, yellow, orange and green belts and will follow all precautionary and preventive measures in accordance with the health and safety protocols stated by the Federation. All registrations can be done through the official UAEJJF website.

Fahad Ali Al Shamsi, CEO of the UAEJJF, added: “Our strategy is to create the right environment for children to develop their talent through continuous training. The new championship is in line with our goal to build a future generation of jiu-jitsu athletes that can compete and shine on local and global stages.”