Saturday 29 October 2022 – 16:53
ABU DHABI, October 29 / WAM / His Highness Sheikh Khalid bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Executive Council Member of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and Head of the Abu Dhabi Executive Office, inaugurated the 2022 World Jiu-Jitsu Championship , which will take place from 29 October to 8 November at Madinat Zayed Sports Jiu-Jitsu Arena in Abu Dhabi.
His Highness presented the medals to the winners of the first places in the competitions of the first day of the championship, in the presence of His Excellency Abdul Moneim Al Hashemi, President of the United Arab Emirates and Asian Federations, First Vice President of the International Jiu-Jitsu Federation, and Mr. Panayiotos Theodoropolis, President of the International Jiu-Jitsu Federation.
His Highness praised the efforts made by the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation to create the right conditions for the national team to show their skills on the competition mat, so that their achievements became a source of pride for all.
His Highness was accompanied during the official opening ceremony by His Excellency Dr. Ahmed Mubarak Al Mazrouei, President of the Office of the President of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council, His Excellency Muhammad Khalifa Al Mubarak, President of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, His Excellency Sarah Awad Muslim, Minister of State for Early Education and Head of the Department of Education and Knowledge, and His Excellency Muhammad Ali Al Shurafa Al Hammadi, President of the Department of Economic Development – Abu Dhabi, HE Saud Abdullah Al Hosani, Undersecretary of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, HE Arif Hamad Al Awani, Secretary General of the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, HE Hamad Ali Mohammed Al Dhaheri, Undersecretary of the Department for Community Development in Abu Dhabi, and HE Rashid Lahej Nasser Al Mansouri, Director General of the Abu Dhabi Customs General Administration, Dr. Bushra Al Mulla, Diret General Director of the Family Welfare Authority, and Saleh Mohammed Al Jaziri, Director General of Tourism at the Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism.
The opening ceremony began with the national anthem, followed by a distinguished performance by the Police Music Band, and a speech by His Excellency Mohammed Salem Al Dhaheri, then a speech by the President of the International Jiu-Jitsu Federation, in which praised the UAE’s role in hosting major jiu-jitsu championships and its outstanding contribution to the development of the sport of jiu-jitsu around the world. The opening ceremony also saw the welcome of the delegates and the display of the flags of the participating countries, amid the warm welcome of the masses.
On this occasion, His Excellency Abdul Moneim Al Hashemi, President of the Emirates Jiu-Jitsu Federation, stressed that the support of the wise leadership to the tournaments organized and hosted by the UAE is a great guarantee for the success of these sporting events and the achievement of their goals, and helping to strengthen Abu Dhabi’s position as the world capital of Jiu-Jitsu, praising the excellent performance of the Emirati sons and daughters in various international forums and competitions, and their great readiness and high concentration to maintain the world champion title for the third consecutive time.
During this tournament, Zayed Sports City’s Jiu-Jitsu Arena will witness the competition of 2,000 male and female players representing 70 countries. It is worth noting that the national jiu-jitsu team managed during last year’s edition to keep the title of the world championship, and took the throne of this global sporting event, obtaining 53 medals, including 18 d ‘ gold, 16 silver and 19 bronze, and deservedly won the world title in the 2019 edition. The national team achieved honorable results at the 2022 World Games held in Birmingham, Alabama, USA, winning five medals, two of gold, one silver and two bronze.
Muhammad Nabil Abu Taha / Zakaria Mohieldin
