Category: Athletic

DUBAI, The Dubai Racing Club announced that it will organise a Golden Jubilee Race Night at Meydan Racecourse on Thursday, 2nd December, 2021, to mark the UAE’s 50th National Day.

Members of the UAE Armed Forces will be special guests at the programme, the third meeting of the season at the UAE’s flagship track. Children of the nation’s martyrs will present trophies to the winners at the event.

The meeting will feature a total of seven races, each of which will be named after one of the seven emirates.

The opening contest titled “Abu Dhabi” will be sponsored by the Land Forces. This race will be followed by “Dubai”, sponsored by the UAE Navy. The third race, “Sharjah”, will be sponsored by the Air Force and Air Defence, while the fourth race, “Ajman”, will be sponsored by the Presidential Guard. The fifth race “Umm Al Quwain”, will be sponsored by the Joint Aviation Command while the sixth “Ras Al Khaimah”, will be sponsored by the Support Forces. The evening will conclude with the seventh race “Fujairah”, sponsored by the National and Reserve Service Authority.

Commenting on the occasion, Sheikh Rashid bin Dalmouk Al Maktoum, President of the Dubai Racing Club and Dubai Equestrian Club, expressed his pride in commemorating the UAE’s 50th National Day at the Meydan Racecourse.

The Dubai Racing Club is keen to actively participate in national and community events, he said, noting that this particular occasion will bring together horsemen and racing fans to compete in races that celebrate each emirate of the country. “The organisation of the race under the patronage of the UAE Armed forces and in the presence of the children of the nation’s martyrs, expresses our loyalty and gratitude to the nation.”

“The 50th anniversary of the founding of the UAE is a historic moment and an occasion to celebrate the country’s various achievements, including its hosting of Expo 2020 Dubai, the first global event of its kind in the region. The successful launch of the Hope Probe, the first Arab mission to Mars, is another achievement we take pride in,” Sheikh Rashid added.

“On the occasion of the UAE’s 50th anniversary, I extend my warmest congratulations to President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan; His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai; His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, and Their Highnesses Supreme Council Members and Rulers of the Emirates,” Sheikh Rashid said.

During the Golden Jubilee evening, racegoers of all ages can compete in the Best Emirati Dress Competition. Prizes will be distributed among five winners. Those wishing to enter the contest must visit the photo booth at Gate A of Meydan Racecourse.

 

Source: Emirates News Agency

Dubai, H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, President of the UAE National Olympic Committee (NOC), today met with Otabek Umarov, Vice President of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), at the Dubai International Financial Centre.

Umarov is in Dubai to attend the 76th Meeting of the Executive Board of the Olympic Council of Asia, and the 40th Asian Olympic Council, which concluded yesterday with the participation of 45 Asian National Olympic Committees.

The meeting discussed the Council’s projects and programmes currently being implemented in various countries across Asia.

They also discussed the preparations for the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China in September 2022, the third Asian Youth Games in Shantou, China, and the 4th Asian Youth Games to be held in 2025 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

The meeting also discussed the announcements made at the 40th OCA General Assembly, including the selection of Saudi Arabia as the host of the OCA’s 7th Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games in 2025, and Cambodia’s selection as the host of the 5th Asian Youth Games in Phnom Penh in 2029.

The renaming of OCA’s Women and Sports Committee as Gender Equity Committee was also discussed.

The meeting was attended by Mohammed bin Sulayem, Secretary-General of the UAE NOC, Azza bint Suleiman, Assistant Secretary-General for Administrative Affairs of the UAE NOC, and Mohammed bin Darwish, Executive Director of UAE NOC.

Source: Emirates News Agency

ABU DHABI, An enthralling, weeklong Abu Dhabi World Professional Championship culminated in a dramatic final day of action on Friday as the sport’s elite men and women grappled for global glory on the mat at Jiu Jitsu Arena, with Brazilian fighters dominating the gold medal matches and topping the podium 11 times from 12 finals.

Finals day of the professional brown/black belt men’s and women’s divisions was a true global gathering at the home of jiu-jitsu with the 12 matches featuring 24 athletes from 9 countries: Angola, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Georgia, Italy, Netherlands, Norway and Poland.

The geographical spread of countries – spanning four continents – represented on the mat, is a sign of how important the ADWPJCC, held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, is to the world’s athletes, in terms of prestige and ranking points.

Featuring a host of top-ranked athletes, the high-calibre schedule crowned the winners of 12 World Pro titles: in seven male black belt weight divisions and five female brown / black belt weight divisions.

At the end of a day of top-class action Brazil topped the country rankings with a stunning total of 11 gold medals and two silvers. Argentina finished second with one gold and one silver, while Poland finished third in the rankings with two silver medals.

Hussain bin Ibrahim Al Hammadi, Minister of Education, awarded gold, silver and bronze medals, and championship belts, to the newly crowned jiu-jitsu heroes. Other high-profile dignitaries watching the gripping finals included: Salem Sultan Al Suwaidi, Director of the Emirates Red Crescent Authority – Abu Dhabi Center.

After a successful 13th edition of the largest and most prestigious jiu-jitsu event on the global calendar, the second ADWPJJC in the space of seven months, Abdul Moneim Al Hashemi, Chairman of UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation, President of Jiu-Jitsu Asian Union & Senior Vice President of Jiu-Jitsu International Federation, said: “Jiu-jitsu is on an exciting journey and Abu Dhabi is at the heart of that upward trajectory. I would like to extend our warmest gratitude to His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, for his generous patronage and unwavering support that enables us to provide a platform for the world’s athletes to compete.

“In this year’s edition, we were pleased with the return of many stars from around the world who built themselves a large fanbase during their distinguished participation in past editions of the tournament, and this is a great gain, but what pleased us most is the emergence of a large number of new stars who recorded a strong first appearance in Abu Dhabi. We look forward to the return of world stars again to the capital of jiu-jitsu Abu Dhabi next year for the 14th edition of the championship, which will be held from November 10 to 19, 2022.”

The day’s action got off to a dramatic start when Brenda Larissa, from Brazil, beat Argentina’s Eliana Carusi by decision after a gripping, five-minute women’s brown/black Roosterweight final.

“I’m very happy with my performance today. I put myself under a bit of pressure because I had won gold in my three previous times at the Abu Dhabi World Pro, so it’s great to make it a fourth gold and continue my 100% record at this fantastic event.

Nathannael Fernandes made it two wins from two for Brazil when he outfought compatriot Francisco Jonas Andrade to claim gold with a 2-1 victory in the men’s black belt Light Featherweight final.

“It’s only been two weeks since I got my black belt, so this is a dream for me. Just being in the final was an achievement, but to beat the No.1 player in the division is something else. It’s always great to come here, I won blue belt gold in 2019, but I will never forget this Abu Dhabi World Pro experience. This is just the beginning; I will be back.”

Ana Rodrigues followed her compatriots on to the top of the podium in the third final of the day, getting the better of her opponent, Rose El Sharouni, from the Netherlands to claim a 3-1 victory in the women’s brown/black belt Featherweight final and secure her first ADWPJCC medal on her third appearance.

“I have been training so hard every day for this. I have wanted it so bad because this championship is just amazing. I love fighting here on this stage, thank you Abu Dhabi for giving us this platform. I love this country and this championship. This is my dream,” said an emotional Rodrigues.

Brazilian dominance continued when Diogo Reis proved too good for Georgia’s Giorgi Razmadze in the men’s black belt Featherweight final to take a 5-2 victory. The exceptional Beatriz Mesquita demonstrated her class in earning the first submission of finals day to win gold in the women’s brown/black belt lightweight final, stopping opponent Margot Ciccarelli, from Italy, after 3:54 minutes.

Argentina’s Pablo Lavaselli snapped Brazil’s winning streak with a 2-0 win over Brazilian rival Israel Almeida in the men’s Lightweight final. And afterwards he said: “This was quite a challenge to lose the weight to make the 69kg category having fought at 77kg previously. but I have a good team behind me, and we got it done. All the hard work and sacrifice has paid off. It’s a great experience, I want to come back and keep competing.”

“I have to thank Abu Dhabi and the UAEJJF. As a Federation they really treat us like professionals, give us the platform, help us get here and the environment is great.”

Ingridd Sousa made it six Brazil golds from seven finals with a 5-2 victory over Poland’s Magdalena Loska in the women’s Middleweight clash, before Michael Galvão grabbed another gold for the South American jiu-jitsu powerhouse, defeating Norwegian opponent Espen Mathieson by submission in the men’s Welterweight final.

Isaque Braz, from Brazil was too strong for his opponent William Dias, from Australia, to take men’s Middleweight gold with a dominant 7-0 win, before crowd favourite Gabrieli Pessanha came from 2-1 down to defend her heavyweight gold with a late 3-2 victory over Yara Nascimento.

Erich Munis then claimed Brazil’s 10th gold of the day with a 4-2 victory over Poland’s Adam Wardzinski, in the men’s Light Heavyweight final, as Poland finished with two silvers.

The action was wrapped up in emphatic style in the final match on the mat, with Gutemberg Pereira claiming gold with a 16-0 victory over Angola’s Walter Dos Santos in the men’s black belt Super Heavyweight final.

Source: Emirates News Agency

ABU DHABI, The cream of global jiu-jitsu talent rose to the top at 13th Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship (ADWPJJC), as they took to the mats on day four of the largest and most prestigious event on the global jiu-jitsu calendar, at Jiu Jitsu Arena in Abu Dhabi’s Zayed Sports City.

The championship lived up to its tagline of ‘The Capital of Heroes’ as the world’s leading male and female brown and black belts took centre stage on nine mats at the home of jiu-jitsu. And after a thrilling week of action so far, which started on Sunday youth; and was followed by masters showing their experience, it was the turn of the sport’s top men and women to show martial arts magic.

In the presence of distinguished guests including H.H. Sheikh Zayed bin Nahyan bin Zayed Al Nahyan; Adrian Macelar, Romania’s Ambassador to the UAE, and Sara Al Musallam, Chairperson of the Abu Dhabi Department of Knowledge and Education (ADEK), Abdul Moneim Al Hashemi, President of the UAE and Asian Federations, and Senior Vice President of the International Jiu-Jitsu Federation; and Mohamed Salem Al Dhaheri, Vice Chairman, UAEJJF.

Flying the flag for Abu Dhabi, Omar Al Fadhli showed his class to claim gold in the 62kg men’s brown belt competition with a 6-3 victory over Brazil’s Leonardo Mario. After his victory, Al Fadhli was upgraded to black belt on the podium in the presence of Sheikh Zayed bin Nahyan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Abdul Moneim Al Hashemi, and Hollywood action hero Steven Seagal.

“To win another gold medal in this remarkable championship is very special. The best feeling any athlete can have is carrying their country’s flag on the podium and I’m honoured to have been able to do that. And to then be awarded with the black belt, it really doesn’t get much better.”

“I have trained exceptionally hard for this moment and gained a lot of experience during previous championships such as the Asian Championship and World Championship that brought me to this point. This gold is the pinnacle of my career to date as it is my first and as it turns out, the last, with a brown belt.”

I had a feeling I would be facing Leonardo in the final, so I’ve been studying him really hard in recent weeks, so I knew how to get the better of him,” added Al Fadhli.

Al Fadhli becomes the youngest jiu-jitsu black belt in the Middle East, at the age of just 21, an achievement acknowledged by the country’s top jiu-jitsu officials.

“As we celebrate this achievement today, we must extend our highest gratitude to His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces. This championship has become the most renowned in the world in the shortest possible time and has contributed to the sons of our country becoming world champions. It has also brought together thousands of competitors from countries of the world,” said Abdul Moneim Al Hashemi, President of the UAE and Asian Federations, and First Vice President of the International Jiu-Jitsu Federation.

“We consider our school jiu-jitsu programme, which was launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and chosen by the International Jiu-Jitsu Federation as the best programme for the dissemination and development of the game, as the foundation for discovering, refining and creating heroes of UAE jiu-jitsu. We take this opportunity to thank our partners in schools, families, sponsors and supporters, because what Omar has achieved is an achievement for every Emirati citizen and a badge of pride that makes him a role model for all players from future generations.”

“This achievement is a success for the school programme, which now has 180,000 male and female players. Undoubtedly, reaching the black belt stage in the sport of jiu-jitsu is the dream of every professional player, and this journey may take years, but Omar shortened the time thanks to his diligence to be one of the youngest players in the history of this sport.”

Renowned UAE National team head coach Ramon Lemos, said:” Omar thoroughly deserves his black belt. He has worked incredibly hard, has improved his technical ability and his dedication is there for all to see. The way he approached this week and studying his opponents is a great lesson to the youngsters coming through.”

Meanwhile, Adrian Macelaru, Ambassador of Romania to the UAE, praised the “perfect” organisation of the Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship, stressing that Abu Dhabi outperforms itself with each new edition of this tournament. He pointed to the positive role of the UAE in supporting efforts to establish global peace and security and its embracing of many cultures.

He added: “As the UAE prepares to celebrate its 50th National Day, it is proving to the world that it represents the best model for development in the region, as it succeeded in welcoming more than 190 countries under the roof of Expo 2020, an achievement that words cannot describe.”

The 13th ADWPJJC concludes on Friday, 19th November, with the finals of the of the men’s and women’s black belt divisions and the end of season awards ceremony.

Source: Emirates News Agency

ABU DHABI, H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Member of Abu Dhabi Executive Council and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Office, has witnessed the signing of a ground-breaking multi-year partnership agreement between the Department of Culture and Tourism, Abu Dhabi and the National Basketball Association that will see Abu Dhabi host the first NBA games in the Gulf region.

During the signing of the agreement, Sheikh Khaled commented on the welcome addition of even more high-profile sports events to Abu Dhabi’s events calendar, which would lead to increased take-up of the sport and the creation of more grass-roots programmes, as well as inspire more people to lead active, healthy lives.

He added that it would also further strengthen Abu Dhabi’s position as a host destination for global sports events.

The first two games will be held during the NBA preseason in October 2022. The partnership also includes fan events featuring current and former NBA players, Jr. NBA Leagues for school-age players, a series of NBA Fit Clinics and an NBA 2K League exhibition event.

Visit Abu Dhabi, part of DCT – Abu Dhabi, will be the official tourism destination partner of the NBA in China, Europe, the Middle East and North Africa.

Source: Emirates News Agency

ABU DHABI, The National Basketball Association (NBA) and the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) Tuesday announced a groundbreaking multiyear partnership to host the first NBA games in the UAE.

The preseason NBA games in Abu Dhabi beginning in 2022 will mark the first games between two NBA teams in the Arabian Gulf.

The partnership will see DCT Abu Dhabi, under “Visit Abu Dhabi,” the tourism promotion initiative of the UAE’s capital city, serve as the Official Tourism Destination Partner of the NBA in China, Europe, the Middle East and North Africa.

Abu Dhabi will host preseason NBA games beginning with two games in October 2022. The participating teams and host venue will be announced at a later date.

The partnership will also include a variety of interactive fan events featuring appearances by current and former NBA players, the launch of Jr. NBA Leagues for boys and girls at schools across the UAE fostering teamwork and inclusion, a series of NBA Fit Clinics promoting health and wellness, and an NBA 2K League exhibition event.

Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman at DCT Abu Dhabi, said, “Today’s announcement further demonstrates the emirate’s position as a top-tier home for global sports and for attracting the very best talent. As Abu Dhabi is committed to further developing as a dynamic global destination, adding the NBA to our impressive year-round portfolio of sports and entertainment events, only reinforces the UAE capital’s standing as a centre of sporting excellence. We look forward to the NBA playing an integral role in developing young talent and healthy lifestyles at grassroots level – the heart of the UAE’s strategy, which places great emphasis on empowering youth and building a sustainable future for the nation and future generations.”

“As we celebrate the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Season, partnering with DCT Abu Dhabi to bring the first NBA and NBA 2K League games and events to the UAE marks an important milestone in basketball’s continued global growth,” said NBA Deputy Commissioner and Chief Operating Officer Mark Tatum. “Abu Dhabi is a vibrant multicultural hub with a demonstrated track record of hosting world-class sporting events, and this partnership will not only bring the live NBA and NBA 2K League experience to fans in the Middle East, but it will also create opportunities for boys and girls to learn the fundamentals and core values of the game through a variety of grassroots programming and fan events.”

During the 2021-22 NBA season, NBA games and programming will reach fans in 11 countries across the Middle East. Fans in the Middle East can access extensive video highlights, news, stats, scores and original digital content in Arabic on the NBA’s official online destination.

Fans in the region can also watch every NBA game live and on demand on NBA League Pass, the league’s premium live game subscription service.

Abu Dhabi has consistently demonstrated its capabilities in hosting world-class sporting events. Pioneering initiatives such as DCT Abu Dhabi’s “Go Safe Certification” highlight the city’s unwavering commitment to the community and visitors’ health and safety, while enabling it to continue to hold the best of live sporting events.

Source: Emirates News Agency