UAE athletes harvested nine medals in the 2016-2017 Abu Dhabi Grand Slam World Jiu-Jitsu Tour season in Los Angeles.

The event featured athletes representing all ranks from white to black belt, with many top competitors competing for generous cash prizes.

Musabbeh Mohamed Khatri (male purple master 69kg) and Naser Ahmed Al Falasi (male white master 77kg) won a gold medal each. Ibrahim Abdulla Alhosani (male purple master 69kg), Jassim Obaid (male blue master 77kg), Obaid Al Kaabi (male brown master 69kg) and Khalifa Saeed Alsuwaidi (male blue juvenile 60kg) took a silver medal each while Khalid Alblooshi (male blue juvenile 60kg), Ahmed Suhail Alketbi (male brown master 77kg) and Humaid Yaser Alkaabi (male blue master 66kg) scooped a bronze medal each.

Dr. Ahmad bin Abdulla Humaid Belhoul AlFalasi, Minister of State for Higher Education, who attended the tournament along with other UAE sports officials, thanked His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, for his support and encouragement to the Jiu-Jitsu sports within the UAE and abroad.

''The fact that a 1,000 male and female fighters from 37 countries participated is a resounding success in itself for the competition, its organisers the United Arab Emirates Jiu-Jitsu Federation (UAEJJF) and Abu Dhabi, best known as the capital of the Jiu-Jitsu,'' he added.

The Abu Dhabi Grand Slam LA, which will continue till September 5, is an important competition now in the jiu-jitsu calendar.

Source: WAM