Shaikh Mohammed honours jiu-jitsu winners ABU DHABI — More than 100 male students from across the Emirate of Abu Dhabi congregated at the Abu Dhabi Combat Club to compete in the finals for the Abu Dhabi Schools Jiu-Jitsu Cup, hosted by Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC). The participants were grade 6 and 7 finalists who had won medals in the education zone competitions earlier this year.
General Shaikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces and Chairman of ADEC, and Dr. Mugheer Khamis Al Khaili, Director General of ADEC, attended the finals and honoured the 36 winners.
“We are pleased with the enthusiasm of our students and the commitment of our coaches, and we hope to expand the program to include more schools next year,” Dr. Al Khaili said. “Athletics are an important component of childhood development, and through activities like these, we encourage our students to become more well-rounded individuals.”
“The finals are designed to give students with the opportunity to show others how much they have progressed and help identify those students who may become future champions in the sport,” he added.
ADEC aims to provide a comprehensive after-school program for interested and talented Jiu-Jitsu students so that they can progress through the different belt levels.
Students fight according to nine weight divisions ranging from “roosters” and “light featherweights” weighing in at 30kg – 34 kg, to “heavy” and “super heavy weights” weighing 64 kg and above.
The competition was intense across all weight divisions. The bouts involve two minutes of high-energy physical effort, with no kicking or punching. The winner of each bout is the boy who scores the most points or forces his opponent into submission.
Dr. Al Khaili expressed his appreciation for the great support provided by General Shaikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and Shaikh Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan, National Security Adviser and Chairman of Abu Dhabi Sports Council (ADSC).
The School Jiu-Jitsu programme is an initiative of General Shaikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and is under the patronage of Shaikh Zayed bin Mohammed Al Nahyan, who is a keen Jiu-Jitsu competitor.
“I was impressed with how well the finals were organized,” Dr. Al Khaili said. “The boys were focused and fought with passion. But when the winner was announced they shook hands and embraced. There were no losers today, only winners.”
Mohammed Salem Al Dhahiri, Director of School Operations, congratulated all participants on their good sportsmanship. “The coaches ensure the bouts are fair and the boys are safe. They encourage each of the contestants to do their best, and are supported by the school principals and PE teachers. Everybody works together for the good of the students.”
Many proud parents attended the finals to encourage their children. They were impressed with the organization of the finals and enjoyed the event. “My son enjoys the physical aspects of the sport, but he has been taught by the coaches to confine his energies to the two minutes of the bout and not to take them beyond this,” one father said.
Another father said: “my son tells me he needs to be fit to be successful in the sport.”
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