ABU DHABI: The UAE national jiu-jitsu team, consisting of 12 men and nine women, is set to take part in the Grand Prix Paris Open 2023 kicking off on Saturday.
Organized by the Jiu-Jitsu International Federation, the event will feature over 250 male and female athletes from 22 countries, and is scheduled to take place from April 22 to 24 in Paris. The UAE team will depart for the French capital on Wednesday.
The team members recently delivered outstanding performances for their respective clubs during the Jiu-Jitsu President’s Cup in Abu Dhabi, which should provide them with a boost in France.
Mubarak Al-Menhali, director of the technical department at the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation, said: “The national jiu-jitsu team is keen to participate in tournaments like Paris Grand Prix as part of its efforts to retain its continental and international achievements, and to intensify its preparations for future championships, especially the Jiu-Jitsu World Championship and the Asian Games in China.”
“Participating in such tournaments brings many benefits to the national team, including the opportunity to test the players’ readiness and compete against some of the strongest international stars. The national team delegation consists of 21 experienced, young and emerging players, both male and female, most of whom have won titles in major tournaments. This enhances our chances of reaching the podium,” Al-Menhali added.
Ramon Lemos, coach of the national team, said: “We were keen to prepare the team for the tournament in the best possible way, as we focused on areas that need further development.”
“The players have shown exceptional commitment to giving their best, and we are confident that they will spare no effort to provide the performance that befits them and the UAE jiu-jitsu (community),” he said. “We look forward with great enthusiasm to the expected championship and are keen to achieve the largest number of colored medals.”
“The team’s performance in the Asian Championship is optimistic, and this tournament constitutes a strong test for our players who have a good amount of experience and competence, especially as it includes a group of the best and strongest players in the world classified in every weight category,” said Lemos.
“Winning this championship is an important step that contributes to raising the classification of the UAE according to the classification approved by the Ju-Jitsu International Federation, which gives the team a relative advantage in terms of the draw and the schedule of the world championship competitions,” added Lemos.
The national men’s team: Theyab Alnuaimi (56 kg), Omar Alsuwaidi (56 kg), Khaled Alshehhi (62 kg), Mohammed Alsuwaidi (69 kg), Sultan Jabr (69 kg), Sultan Hassan (69 kg), Mahdi Alawlaqi (77 kg), Faraj Alawlaqi (77 kg), Saeed Alkubaisi (85 kg), Faisal Alketbi (85 kg), Abdulla Alkubaisi (94 kg), Ammar Alhosani (94 kg) and Hazza Farhan (94 kg).
The women’s team: Balqees Abdulkarim (45 kg), Aysha Al-Shamsi (45 kg), Hamda Alshkeili (48 kg), Sara Shams Alhammadi (48 kg), Hessa Alshamsi (52 kg), Asma Alhosani (52 kg), Shamsa Al-Ameri (52 kg), Haya Aljhoori (63 kg) and Shamma Alkalbani (63 kg).