Youth athletes test No-Gi skills as Dubai hosts final season jiu-jitsu rankings

Sharjah Self-Defence Sports Club secured the top position on the opening day of Round 6 of the Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Jiu-Jitsu Championship on Saturday, 29 August, at the Nad Al Sheba Sports Complex in Dubai. The first day of the final No-Gi event of the season featured youth competitors in the Under-12, Under-14, and Under-16 categories. Following Sharjah in the standings, ADMA Academy finished the day in second place, while Palms Sports claimed third. The tournament is a key fixture in the UAE jiu-jitsu calendar, serving as a platform for clubs to identify and prepare the next generation of athletes for international representation. Youth Performance in No-Gi Format The competition focused on the No-Gi discipline, which requires different technical adjustments compared to traditional Gi jiu-jitsu. Officials noted that the format demands faster decision-making and higher levels of adaptability under pressure. Among the individual successes, Matar Al Shamsi of Al Hamriyah Cultural and Sports Club secured a gold medal in the Under-12 Grey Belt 50kg division. Vitor Junior Teixeira, a coach at ADMA Academy, stated that training for these categories emphasizes control,…