Mohammed bin Zayed receives Jiu Jitsu Champions
Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces has received at the Sea Palace 41 boys who are the champions of the first Abu Dhabi Schools Brazilian Jiu Jitsu championship.
Sheikh Mohammed, who expressed happiness on the positive outcome of the Jiu Jitsu program, congratulated the boys for their success and encouraged them to continue with the sport in the years ahead.
The Brazilian Jiu Jitsu program is one of Sheikh Mohammed's special initiatives and is being held under the patronage of his son, Sheikh Zayed Bin Mohammed Al Nahyan.
Sheikh Zayed bin Mohamed Al Nahyan also met with the finalists of the schools competition, and has himself participated in the sport over the course of many years.
The visit to Sheikh Mohammed's majlis was a special reward for the grade 6 and 7 students who had gained first, second and third places in their bouts at the finals in Abu Dhabi. The students were excited and honored to meet Sheikh Mohammed. They were accompanied to the meeting by Dr Mugheer Khamis Al Khaili, Director General of Abu Dhabi Education Council, Mohammed Salem Al Dhahiri, Director of Abu Dhabi Education Zone and Carlos Santos, Head Coach of the Emirates Brazilian Jiu Jitsu team and Project Director of the program. Several Jiu Jitsu instructors also attended.
The Brazilian Jiu Jitsu finals took place at Abu Dhabi Secondary School where the best 144 grade 6 and 7 students from Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and Al Gharbia took part in the competition.
The Jiu Jitsu program was implemented in selected government schools this year. Over the last month, students have competed in regional finals in each education zone. The best 12 students from each of the 12 participating schools were selected to meet in the finals of the tournament under the watchful eye of Carlos Santos and his professional team of highly qualified instructors.
The bouts involved two minutes of high energy physical effort with no kicking or punching, but plenty of grappling. The winner of each bout was the contestant who scores the most points or forces his opponent to concede defeat.
Students fight according to weight with "roosters" and "super featherweights" weighing in at 28kg - 32 kg, "middle" and "medium heavy" weighing in at 40 kg - 45 kg, and the "super super heavy" and "big heavy" weighing in between 52 kg - 54 kg. No matter how small or big the boys are, the competition is intense, and each bout is keenly contested.
Commenting on the development, Mugheer Khamis Al Khaili, Director General of ADEC, expressed great satisfaction with the achievement. "I was impressed with how well the Jiu Jitsu program was organized. The boys were focused and fought with passion. They were thrilled with the visit to Sheikh Mohammed and this will spur others to join the program next year." Mohammed Salem Al Dhahiri congratulated the trainers on their dedication and commitment," he said.
"The trainers make sure the bouts are fair and the boys don't get hurt. They encourage each of the contestants to do their best and are often seen encouraging the boys. It's like a family. Everybody works together for each other," he explained.
Santos thanked HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan for his vision and Abu Dhabi Education Council for its ongoing support. "My team of trainers has been working with the boys for more than eight months and the boys are progressing very well. They each have special kimonos and now know the basics of the sport. Our goal is for the boys to enjoy the sport and to progress through the different coloured belts. The visit to Sheikh Mohammed gave the boys added incentive to continue with the program and to reach new heights in the sport. We hope to double the number of participating schools next year," he stated.
Parents, too, were impressed with the program. One father from the military said, "My son has been part of the program since the beginning. He enjoys it immensely. He can't wait for the Jiu Jitsu session to arrive and on that day he leaves our house to school with a spring in his step. I believe Jiu Jitsu has changed his attitude toward school and he is now much more positive thanks to the program." WAM/SA
www.emiratesone.blogspot.com
.jpg)
