UAE’s top female jiu-jitsu fighters to square off in Mother of Nation League
- 14 Jan 2021
Gulf Today, Staff Reporter
The UAE’s top female jiu-jitsu fighters will face off in the inaugural round of the prestigious Mother of Nation (MoN) Jiu-Jitsu League which will be held at the Al Nasr Sports Club in Dubai on Friday.
The MoN Jiu-Jitsu League will be the curtain raiser for the 2021 domestic season of the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation (UAEJJF), the governing body for the sport in the Emirates.
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More than 150 fighters from 10 jiu-jitsu clubs have registered for the tournament, which will be held in strict adherence to stringent local and federal health and safety protocols. The MoN Jiu-Jitsu League, considered the premier tournament for female athletes in the UAE, will be played over five rounds with athletes competing across three categories – under-16, under-18, and Adults.
Fighters from 10 clubs will get the UAEJJF’s 2021 domestic season underway.
Fahad Ali Al Shamsi, General Secretary, UAEJJF, said that the inaugural round of the MoN Championship would provide the right platform for fighters to assess their standing on the mat and also finetune preparations ahead of the showpiece Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship (ADWPJJC). “Our fighters have been training hard and are hungry to get on to the mat. The MoN Jiu-Jitsu League will provide the athletes with valuable mat time, allow them to experience the pressure that high-level competitions bring, and help them identify areas of improvement as they dive into a packed season full of international and domestic commitments,” he said.
Rashid Al Qubaisi, CEO, Aafraq, congratulated the UAEJJF on their unstinting commitment to the development and promotion of the sport in the UAE and said that renowned tournaments like the Mother of Nation (MoN) Jiu-Jitsu League provided the perfect platform for the upcoming generation to hone their skills. "I would like to thank the UAE's visionary leadership for their constant guidance and support that has allowed the UAEJJF and its partners to make giant strides in the development of the sport and for making it accessible to people from all over the UAE, especially in these challenging times and by ensuring the health and safety of every athlete,” he said.
“This is a very special tournament and the name it carries inspires respect and is very dear to all the people of the UAE. This tournament presents a shining platform for the women of the UAE to continue their march towards excellence on the sporting stage and we are proud to be associated in helping the youth of the country realise their potential," he added.
Balqees Abdulla, a vital member of the Baniyas Jiu-Jitsu Club squad who is expected to put up a strong performance in the 48 kg class in the under-18 category, said she was excited to put on a strong showing at the MoN Jiu-Jitsu League after having enjoyed a strong pre-season.