On Saturday, the first day of the third round of the Khalid bin Mohammed bin Zayed Jiu-Jitsu Championship for the 'no-gi' category kicked off at the Zayed Sports Complex in Fujairah, amidst a large audience and fierce competition between clubs and academies. The matches in the under-12, 14, and 16 age groups showed a remarkable level of parity, with many bouts decided by narrow margins. As the rounds progress, the importance of each result grows in its impact on the overall standings, pushing clubs to approach the matches with more precise calculations. Present at the first day's competitions and participating in the awarding of the winners were Sheikha Saeed Al Kaabi, a member of the Federal National Council; Saeed Ali Al Ajal, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the UAE Federation for Sports for All; Yousef Abdullah Al Batran, a member of the Board of Directors of the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation; Sabreen Hassan Al Yamahi, Director of the Dib branch of the Fujairah Charity Association; Latifa Khmis Al Abdouli, a member of the Board of Directors of Dibah Cultural and Sports Club; Safia Al Ater, Head of the Quality and Governance Office at the Fujairah Charity Association; Abdullah Salem Al Zaabi, Director of Marketing and Corporate Communications at the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation; and Faisal Ahmed Saeed, Manager of Kalba Branch at Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank. At the end of the first day's competitions, Sharjah Martial Arts Club took first place, followed by Al-Maz Sports Academy in second, and Adma Academy in third. This ranking reflects the high level of competitiveness among the clubs, with the potential for changes in the upcoming rounds. Yousef Abdullah Al Batran, a member of the Board of Directors of the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation, stated that the matches of the first day reflected an advanced level of technical maturity among the players. The outcome of a match no longer depends solely on basic skills but on the ability to manage the course of the bout comprehensively, in terms of timing and choosing the right solutions for each situation. Sheikha Saeed Al Kaabi, a member of the Federal National Council, confirmed that the championship reflects the great efforts made by the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation to establish the presence of this sport and promote its noble values in society, by organizing comprehensive tournaments that open the door for various categories to participate and develop.
