• Al Wahda Club Jiu-Jitsu Academy and Baniyas Jiu-Jitsu Club were crowned champions

Amin Abbas

Al Wahda Club Jiu-Jitsu Academy and Baniyas Jiu-Jitsu Club were crowned champions at the Jiu-Jitsu President’s Cup, held at the Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi, over the weekend.

The championship, exclusive to adult athletes, saw the country’s best male and female competitors locking horns, culminating in Al Wahda securing the top position in the men’s division and Baniyas claiming victory in the women’s category.

In the men’s division, Al Wahda demonstrated high technical skills and resilience, outperforming Baniyas, the defending champions, and snatching the title that the team held for the last four years. Similarly, in the women’s division, Baniyas were on top of their game and retained title from last year, forcing Al Wahda to settle for second place. Meanwhile, Al Wahda improved its position from third place last year to second place this year in the women’s division.

Additionally, Al Ain also delivered commendable performances, securing the third position in both the men’s and women’s divisions.

One of the thrilling matchups in the men’s finals was Omar Alsuwaidi of Al Wahda club taking on Zayed Alktheri of Baniyas.

“The match against Zayed Al Kathiri was a historic moment. Beating a champion of his stature is an achievement, but I believe that whoever wins, our beloved country is the final winner as we strive to honor the nation and leadership with our performances,” added Al Suwaidi.

Baniyas’ Balqees Al Hashmi was also in top form as she defeated Aysha Al Shamsi by points. She said: “I want to congratulate Aysha for her brilliant performance. She’s a tough athlete to compete against and a person I admire a lot. It was a great competition, and we both played well.”

Khaled Al Shehhi, a star athlete from Al Ain Jiu-Jitsu Club, said: “I tried my best to support my colleagues in earning the maximum points and winning the title, but this year the results were not the way we expected. However, achieving third place in such a prestigious tournament as the Jiu-Jitsu President’s Cup is still a significant accomplishment. It’s now time to learn from this experience and better prepare for the next competition.”