Moza AlRaeesi arrived at Mubadala Arena as a white belt. She left with a silver medal and a clear target for next year.
The Al Wahda Club Jiu-Jitsu Academy athlete finished second in the women’s adult white belt 95kg division on Tuesday, the second day of the 18th Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship.
“I am very happy to win silver at the Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship,” she said. “This medal means a lot to me and is an important step in my jiu-jitsu career. It motivates me to keep training, improve my skills and come back stronger to compete for gold in future editions.”
Tuesday’s action brought both the amateur and para jiu-jitsu competitions to an end. The amateur event ran over the first two days. Blue belts competed on Monday, and men’s and women’s white belts in the adult and masters divisions took the mats on Tuesday.
Spain’s Carlos Romero, of Rom Jiu-Jitsu Academy, won gold in the white belt 56kg division.
“Winning gold in Abu Dhabi is very special for me because this is one of the biggest jiu-jitsu championships in the world,” he said. “Competing here has helped me gain valuable experience and improve my skills. I hope to return in the future and compete at higher belt levels.”
The para competition started and finished on Tuesday, with athletes of determination from several countries taking part. Domingo Soto Santana, a black belt from Puerto Rico who represents US Para Jiu-Jitsu Academy, was among them.
“Jiu-jitsu has helped me discover what I am capable of”
“Competing in Abu Dhabi gives athletes like me the chance to show our abilities on an international stage. I hope our participation encourages more people of determination to try jiu-jitsu, believe in themselves and work towards their goals.” he said.
Yousef Abdullah Al Batran, a board member of the UAE Jiu-Jitsu and Mixed Martial Arts Federation, said the amateur divisions are where long careers in the sport begin.
“Every champion starts somewhere, and success takes years of training, competition and experience,” he said. “These competitions give athletes the opportunity to test their skills at an international level, face opponents with different styles and gain valuable experience from the early stages of their careers.”
He said para athletes are central to the event. “We want to make sure everyone has the opportunity to compete, develop their skills and be part of the sport,” he said.
The championship runs until November 21 and has drawn more than 10,000 athletes from over 130 countries. PureHealth is providing medical cover throughout, with specialist teams working alongside the organising committee.
The youth divisions begin today and run until November 13. The Abu Dhabi World Jiu-Jitsu Festival for children follows from November 14 to 16. The professional divisions, with a Dh3 million prize pool, close the championship.
