UAE champions raise their tally to 10 medals at Abu Dhabi Grand Slam Jiu-Jitsu Tour in London
LONDON (WAM) The second day of the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam Jiu-Jitsu Tour in London concluded Saturday night at the Copper Box Arena in the British capital.The event featured more than 700 male and female athletes from various countries competing in the Youth and Masters divisions, with a large audience in attendance who enthusiastically engaged with the high-level matches.UAE athletes delivered a remarkable performance on the second day, winning 7 additional medals — 5 gold and 2 silver—bringing the country's total medal count in the London leg to 10.The gold medalists included Salem Al Qubaisi and Ahmed Saeed Al Shamsi from Al Ain Club, Abdullah Andeaz and Al Anood Al Hameli from Al Jazira Club, and Abdullah Al Aqidi from Al Wahda Club. The silver medals were secured by Haroon Khouri from ADMA Academy and Ahmed Al Rashdi from Al Jazira Club.General Manager of the Abu Dhabi Jiu-Jitsu Pro (AJP), Tareq Al Bahri, confirmed that this year's London leg marked the largest participation ever in the city since the tour's inception.He praised the technical level of the matches, the enthusiastic crowd, and the professional organisation, which included extensive TV coverage through 12 cameras inside the venue, alongside significant local and international media presence.Al Bahri noted that the championship is followed closely worldwide, with constant communication over the past two days with Abdulmunem Al Hashmi, President of the UAE and Asian Jiu-Jitsu Federations and First Vice President of the International Jiu-Jitsu Federation, who consistently ensures the implementation of the highest standards in organisation, refereeing, technical execution, and media coverage.He also confirmed ongoing efforts to further develop the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam from year to year, whether through increasing the number of tour stops or updating rules to minimise stalling and enhance the audience experience.Al Bahri added that registration is now open for the season finale of the 2024–2025 tour, set to take place in Abu Dhabi in mid-May.He noted significant interest from clubs and academies worldwide, prompting the consideration of extending the event from three to four days to accommodate growing participation.Since its launch in 2015, the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam Jiu-Jitsu Tour has become one of the world's leading professional jiu-jitsu championships. It is organised by the Abu Dhabi Jiu-Jitsu Pro (AJP) with the goal of spreading the sport globally and providing a professional environment to discover and develop talent.The tour includes multiple stops in major international cities such as Tokyo, London, Rio de Janeiro, Miami, Rome, Sydney, Beijing, and Istanbul, with each season culminating in a final event in Abu Dhabi.
The results of the championship contribute to the AJP's official annual rankings and serve as a crucial platform for skill development, international experience, valuable prize money, and elite-level organisation that meets the highest global standards.
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