The second round of the President’s Jiu-Jitsu Cup for clubs in the UAE for the 2017-2018 season concluded at the Al Jazira Club in Abu Dhabi on Saturday, with Al Ain Club taking first place, followed by Al Jazeera in second and Al Wahda in third place.

The second round of the tournament attracted large participation from UAE athletes, who competed for the country’s most prestigious jiu-jitsu title.

The Al Ain Club led the competitions at the end of the second round, adding 704 points to its first-round total to reach 1,352 points and secure the first position. The second place went to Al Jazira Club with 866 points, followed closely by Al Wahda Club in third place with a total of 811 points.

Competitions were divided into three categories for both males and females: under-17s, under-20s, and adults over 21.

Mohammed bin Dalmook Al Dhaheri, Board Member of the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation, praised the performance shown in the championship, and the remarkable development that is taking place at all levels, as manifested by attracting more athletes and enhancing the position occupied by jiu-jitsu in the UAE.

He praised the organisation by Al Jazira Club, which ran the second round at the highest standard, offering expertise, organisation skills, and high-end technology. He further noted that the success of each round of the prestigious championship supports the strategic goals of the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation in spreading the affinity for this sport amongst the UAE’s youth, and assuring the country’s position as an international hub for this sport.

Yousif Al Batran, Board Member of the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation, highlighted that the performance shown during the second round of His Highness the President’s Jiu-Jitsu Cup reflects the great potential of UAE’s athletes.

Al Batran expressed his pride in the development achieved by Emirati clubs in the championship, which he attributed to the efforts and wisdom of the club management and the officials.

"We wish to see more improvement in the near future, as we at the UAE Federation strongly believe that clubs are the cornerstone of success for jiu-jitsu in the UAE," he said.

Al Batran highlighted the special nature of this tournament, given its exclusivity to UAE athletes on one hand, and the open-belt system that allows for higher competitions at par with continental championships.

In this context, Yousef Mohammed Al Blooshi, Technical Director at the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation, said, "Our focus in His Highness the President’s Jiu-Jitsu Cup is on developing technical skills and performance among our athletes, as manifested by selecting the open-belt mode for the championship. This allows athletes to develop their skills and improve their self-confidence in preparation for future rounds.

"Our athletes have shown great improvement during the first round held last August in Al Ain. This is largely attributed to the efforts exerted by clubs over the past three months, and the training opportunities they availed to their players, as well as the positive and nurturing environment that led to this impressive performance."

Al Blooshi predicted even higher standards in the third round scheduled for December in Sharjah.