Participants in action during the opening round of the UAE Youth Kickboxing Championship in Abu Dhabi.

The UAE Youth Kickboxing Championship commenced yesterday Friday the 5th of July, with the participation of 571 athletes representing 41 clubs nationwide.

Organised by the UAE Muay Thai and Kick Boxing Federation, the tournament is being held at the Space 42 Arena in Al Raha Island Abu Dhabi.

Day one witnessed the presence of many notable figures in the sports field including Ali Khouri, Board member, and executive office member of the International Kickboxing Federation (WAKO), alongside Khaled Al Suwaidi, Board member of the UAE Muay Thai and Kick Boxing Federation.

The championship features intense competition across two formats: K1 and Point Fighting, drawing a notable audience of participating athletes’ families and supporters. This reflects significant engagement from clubs across the country, involving young competitors aged 8 to 18 years.

Meanwhile, the competitions of the third and final day will commence on Sunday (July 7, 2024) at 10am and conclude at 6pm, promising to be an intense day of much anticipated final rounds between the players.

Fahad Al Abdouli, Director of Sports Activities at the UAE Muay Thai and Kickboxing Federation stated “ The UAE Kickboxing Championship represents a significant milestone for the federation, clubs, and all participants due to its importance in supporting our continuous plans to discover promising talents, assess the technical levels of the player base, expand the game’s scope, and promote its culture within society. This supports the federation’s programs, national team preparation, and readiness for major global tournaments in the near future.”

He added, “We are pleased with the significant participation across all targeted categories in each tournament on our competition calendar, reflecting the game’s importance and status among clubs and players. It underscores the level of interaction and development it witnesses, and we wish all participants success, encouraging the audience to attend and support their champions up close.”