Sometimes it seems as if Abu Dhabi is becoming the jiu-jitsu capital of the world. We hear from the UAE women’s team coach, world champions and those in the know
Jiu-jitsu is a combat sport and martial art that teaches people how to defend themselves by using leverage techniques, with a focus on groundwork and grappling.
In the early 1990s, HH Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed – brother to the UAE president – was studying in San Diego. During his stay Sheikh Tahnoon discovered jiu-jitsu. He happened to see the first Ultimate Fighting Championship and from then on he was hooked. Keen to learn more, he enrolled in jiu-jitsu lessons with the Gracie family and trained vigorously.
Sheikh Tahnoon returned to Abu Dhabi in 1998 with a purple belt in jiu-jitsu and a dream of developing the sport in the UAE. A new style of this martial art was born with a focus on grappling techniques. The sport became more inclusive and participants of Gracie jiu-jitsu, judo and wrestling began to compete against each other in the Abu Dhabi Combat Club Championships.
The manager
Yasser Al Qabasi is the jiu-jitsu coordinator of the UAE Wrestling, Judo and Jiu-jitsu Federation. He oversees three jiu-jitsu clubs in Abu Dhabi (located in the Officers Club, on 19th street and in Al Quattara, Al Ain) and also organises tournaments, including the fourth consecutive World Professional Jiu-jitsu Championship (WPJJC), which took place last month.
“We paid for the best fighters in the world to fly to Abu Dhabi to take part in our championship. In total 24 trials, involving more than 700 fighters, took place all over the world. The winners of those trials – only the best of the very best – came here to compete and that gives us a lot of pride,” Yasser says.
Up to 15,000 people in Abu Dhabi now practice jiu-jitsu and the best can expect top-class training. “Our national team train in the Gracie jiu-jitsu academies in Europe and in the US. The Gracie family are the best coaches in the whole world and that’s why our guys are winning medals,” Yasser says – UAE fighters won ten bronze medals, one silver and no fewer than five golds during the WPJJC. “Our motto is ‘Abu Dhabi is the new world capital of jiu-jitsu’ and we are making that happen,” he adds.
The Abu Dhabi tournament is certainly the most exclusive competition globally in terms of prizes. HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Sheikh Tahnoon’s brother, was match-side as WPJJC contestants battled it out for prizes worth a whopping $1 million.
Yasser also commends HH Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed for his contribution to jiu-jitsu in Abu Dhabi. “Sheikh Tahnoon is the master of jiu-jitsu. He laid the foundation for this sport in the UAE. He taught us that it’s like water – it involves fluid motion and it’s not tough or dangerous like other martial arts.”
For more information visit: www.uaejj.com
The women’s coach
Caroline de Lazzer is the head coach of the UAE women’s team, a jiu-jitsu world champion and an Olympic wrestling champion who arrived here three years ago.
Caroline trains eight professional students who participated in the WPJJC tournament. Her dedicated students took part in gruelling five-hour training sessions, six days a week, for six weeks prior to the competition. It paid off for local lady Shamsa Hassan, who made history as the first Emirati woman to win a coveted gold medal.
Caroline loves seeing the positive impact that jiu-jitsu has on her students’ lives. “When my girls go to tournaments and they start to win, you can see them change as individuals. They begin thinking about diet, fitness and their life choices – it’s amazing! They feel like champions and are so proud of themselves that they believe they can do anything they put their mind to. This feeling can be applied to every aspect of their lives,” she says.
Despite the success of her students, Caroline is modest about her achievements. “The girls here often say to me ‘thank you – you changed my life,’ but I always tell them that they are the ones responsible for their own success.”
The school coach
World champion, Marcos ‘Santa Cruz’ Oliveira came from Brazil to Abu Dhabi in July 2009 to coach the ‘School Ju-Jistu’ programme, under the patronage of HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
The programme is available to around 13,000 pupils in state schools across the UAE and was established to improve the health of young Emiratis and teach them fitness, self-defence and discipline, while developing a strong national team.
Marcos taught jiu-jitsu in Al Qurum School for two years and watched his pupils take first place at the WPJJC beating 41 other schools.
“In 2009 we didn’t have any kids in the competition and last month we had 400 children competing. The UAE is going to be very strong in five to ten years because 20,000 kids are training today,” he said.
Catriona Doherty
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“Jiu-jitsu is great for your body and mind. I’ve practiced for nine years now, so that I can stay fit and enter professional competitions. I train every day; you need to practise – if you don’t then you won’t get anywhere,” says local athlete Jaber Al Darei.
Mum-of-three Kamella Issad says, “Jiu-jitsu is different to any other sport that I’ve practised – it’s a game of physical chess. It requires not only physical fitness, but mental fitness as well. You also learn balance, flexibility, patience and that size doesn’t matter. Overall, technique outweighs strength alone any day!”
Professional athlete Shamsa Hassan says, “I want to continue training and representing the UAE. I am proud that I’m a Muslim woman wearing the hijab and taking part in jiu-jitsu.”
Keen to learn more?
To learn jiu-jitsu contact the UAE Wrestling, Judo and Jiu-jitsu Federation on: 02 443 0022 or the Muay Thai and Capoeira Sports Club on: 02 676 9658 or 050 901 7528.
