Sheikh Khalifa crowns winners as UAE bag 8 medals at Abu Dhabi World Pro

Gulf Today Report

In the presence of Sheikh Khalifa Bin Tahnoon Bin Mohammed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Crown Prince’s Court, the ten-day-long Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship (ADWPJJC), held under the patronage of Sheikh Khaled Bin Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council, concluded with a thrilling final day of action at a packed Mubadala Arena, on Friday.

Sheikh Khalifa crowned the first-place winners on the final day of the professional division competitions that brought together male participants with black belts and female participants with brown/black belts, creating a truly global spectacle at the World Jiu-Jitsu Capital.

The event featured 12 matches showcasing 24 athletes hailing from eight countries: Brazil, the US, UAE, UK, Portugal, Bulgaria, Russia, and the Philippines. The men’s black belt weight divisions saw fourteen athletes in action, while the brown/black belt weight divisions for women witnessed participation from ten athletes.

UAE athletes won a total of eight medals in the professional division, including two gold, four silver, and two bronze.

The competitions were attended by Sheikh Hamdan Bin Sultan Bin Hamdan Al Nahyan, and Sheikh Tariq Bin Faisal Al Qassimi, Abdulmunem Alsayedmohamed Alhashmi, Chairman of the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation, President of the Asian Jiu-Jitsu Union, and Senior Vice President of the International Jiu-Jitsu Federation; Mohammed Salem Al Dhaheri, Vice Chairman of the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation and Chairman of the Championship Organizing Committee; Brigadier Mohammed Bin Dalmouk Al Dhaheri, board member of the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation; and Fahad Ali Al Shamsi, Secretary-General of the UAE and Asian Jiu-Jitsu Federations, along with a number of officials and representatives of participating clubs and academies and representatives of the UAEJJF’s strategic partners.

Hashmi expressed sincere gratitude to His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, for his limitless support for sports and athletes in the UAE.

He also expressed thanks and appreciation to Sheikh Khaled for his generous patronage and unwavering support that empowers to provide a platform for the world’s athletes to compete.

Hashmi said, “Abu Dhabi, known as the World Jiu-Jitsu Capital, has successfully created a story of success that has captured global attention. Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship contributes to solidifying the Emirate’s position as a top global destination for hosting international events reaching new heights.”

Hashmi added, “Today, we commemorate yet another milestone for our UAE champions, further elevating their outstanding track record of accomplishments on both continental and international platforms.”

The day’s action kicked off with a compelling match as Zayed Al Khateeri from the UAE competed with Brazilian Yuri Hendrex in the men’s black 56kg final. Hendrex secured victory with a 3-1 score.

“I am very pleased with this achievement. While my goal was to defend the title as the champion of this category, the nature of this sport involves both winning and losing. I am content with the performance I delivered against one of the most formidable opponents in the sport,” said Katheeri.

In the meantime, Khaled Alshehi competed against Meyram Maquine Alves from Brazil in the men’s black belt 62kg final, securing his first ADWPJJC black belt medal on his debut in the division with a silver.

He said, “I am happy with this wonderful experience, as it is the first time I have qualified for the final of the black belt in the tournament, and I feel proud to have stood at the podium with the UAE flag. “

Mayssa Bastos claimed gold in the women’s brown/black belt 49kg final. In other matchups, Anna Rodrigues (55kg ), Julia Alves (62kg ), and Pedro Ramalho (77kg) had victories. Bruno Lima of Portugal and Ingridd Alves added gold in the men’s brown/black belt 85kg and brown/black belt 70kg finals, respectively