ABU DHABI: The UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation, the governing body for the sport in the Emirates, has launched a new championship aimed at giving the country’s next generation of athletes a platform to begin their journey in the combat sport.
The inaugural Emirates Jiu-Jitsu Kids Championship, which is aimed at children aged four to 13, will be held at Abu Dhabi’s Jiu-Jitsu Arena on Friday and Saturday.
UAEJJF Vice President Mohammed Salem Al-Dhaheri said the values of the tournament will reflect the federation’s desire to help realise the vision of the UAE’s leadership in empowering the country’s youth to pursue success on the 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,” said Al-Dhaheri. “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.”
The Emirates Jiu-Jitsu Kids Championship will see competitions for white, grey, yellow, orange and green belts. Registrations are being arranged through the official UAEJJF website.
“Our strategy is to create the right environment for children to develop their talent through continuous training,” UAEJJF CEO Fahad Ali Al-Shamsi said. “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.”
