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UAE national team win Jiu-Jitsu C'ship

UAE national Jiu-Jitsu team has emerged the inaugural Jiu-Jitsu champions of the 12th Armed Forces Officers Club's Open Sports Festival on Friday in Abu Dhabi.

Sheikh Zayed Bin Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan crowned the champions amidst fanfare at the end of the championship which attracted a large number of Jiu-Jitsu fans and VIPs, including Sheikh Hamdan Bin Sultan Bin Hamdan Al Nahyan and Lt. Gen. Mohammed Hilal Al Kaabi, Afoc Board chairman and chairman of the Higher Organising Committee of the Sports Festival.

The event drew 150 contestants from 30 countries.

The UAE was represented by 65 contestants in the championship which was held in six categories of 65 kgs, 74 kgs, 83 kgs, 92 kgs, over 92kgs and open weight.

Jordan national team and Bahrain national team finished second and third respectively.

In the individual contests, Eid Rehan of UAE emerged the winner in the over 92 kgs category after defeating Egypt's Tariq Matar who took silver.

The bronze went to Jordan's Ayman Sameeh while Abdul Salam Al Arousi of Tunisia was fourth.

Demetrius of Greece won the golden title of the open weight event followed by Hakeem Riomov of Russia, Ivos Noel of the US and Amin Totae of Sweden.

Demetrius competed a double having won the 92 kgs category earlier.

Jordan's Mohammed Balbis, (83kgs), Abdullah Al-Sheikh of Bahrain (74kgs) and Bahrain's Sena Manfred (65kgs) were also among the gold medal winners.

Meanwhile, Emirates coach Carlos Santos said the Jiu-Jitsu championship for the Asian Cup has been slated for Dec.12-13 at the Afoc.

The championship will be held in collaboration with the UAE Wrestling and Judo Association and the total cash prizes on offer is $38,000.