Day 1 of the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam Tour Abu Dhabi was a triumph. For over 10 hours, the best young athletes in the world took over the 5 mats in the Jiu Jitsu Arena. The event crowned champions of various nationalities. The crowd in the stands and those watching at home were pleased with the level of technique displayed and the desire to win in every single match.
After the young talents, it was time for the 4th Edition of the Abu Dhabi Queen of Mats. Six talented athletes in the heavyweight division fought to the end in search of the ultimate glory. Brazil’s Yara Nascimento rose to the top in thrilling matches.
Tariq Al Bahersi, General Manager of Abu Dhabi Jiu-Jitsu Pro (AJP), celebrated the event: “Today’s results demonstrate once again that Abu Dhabi Grand Slam tournaments are gaining enormous popularity. We enjoyed large crowds of people cheering on the competitors, but more importantly all the players put on fantastic performances, serving as motivation for them to continue to improve and strive for even better results in the future.”
Also present in the Jiu Jitsu Arena, Mohamed Salem Al Dhaheri, vice president of the UAE Jiu Jitsu Federation (UAEJJF) said: “Today’s competitions saw amazing technical levels and brilliant performances by young men and women who have demonstrated that they are on the right track to achieve an outstanding professional career in the coming years.”
The AJP and the UAEJJF welcomed several authorities, including H.E. Abdulmenum Al Hashemi, Chairman of Abu Dhabi Jiu-Jitsu Pro, UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation, Jiu-Jitsu Asian Union, Senior Vice President of the International Jiu-Jitsu Federation; H.E. Mohammed Salem Al Dhaheri, Vice President of UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation; Mr. Tariq Al Baheri, General Manager of AJP; Mr. Fahad Ali Al Shamsi, Secretary-General of the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation; H.E. Mohammed Salem Al Dhaheri, Vice President of the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation; Mr. Rodrigo Valerio, AJP Operations Manager and several officials, guests and representatives of academies.
Abu Dhabi Grand Slam Tour Abu Dhabi – Youth
Best young athletes in the world put on a show in Abu Dhabi
Over 1000 athletes from 42 different countries tested their talents in Abu Dhabi this Friday, May 6, 2022. The event saw competitors born from 2005 to 2011 show that talent and desire to win comes from an early age.
Twelve-year-old Abdul Rahman, a grey belt from Saudi’s BPG Arena Academy, said of the athlete’s efforts: “The encouragement of friends and family pushes us to always do our best. I dedicate this victory to them and promise them more. I’m always excited to compete in the Abu Dhabi competitions since they provide a terrific opportunity to compete against top players from across the world.”
The United Arab Emirates had a spectacular performance. The UAE gathered 370,200 points to secure first place. Brazil finished second with 43,500 points. Russia completed the podium with 40,800 points.
In the teams competition, local academies had total control of the top positions. Palm Sports – Team 777 scored 96,750 points to finish first. Al Ain Jiu Jitsu Club gathered 70,200 points to finish second. The podium was completed with Sharjah Self Defense Sports Club, which added 65,400 points. Click here for the complete results.
Abu Dhabi Queen of Mats – 4th Edition – Heavyweight
Yara Nascimento beats tough opposition to write her name in the champions’ list
Yara Nasciemnto came in the bracket as the favorite to win and she confirmed her status with competence. In four matches, Yara was able to make her game work and beat each opponent with authority. There was no easy match and Yara knew about it before the event.
Initially in Group A, Yara debuted with a tough 4×3 win on points over Rebeca Lima. Yara’s second opponent was Thalyta Silva. This time, Nascimento was able to get a sweep in the end to win 2×1.
In the semifinal, Yara had a great challenge in Ingridd Sousa. In a very studied match, Yara managed to reach the end of the match with a 3×2 lead to reach the final.
In Group B, Rafaela Bertolot reached the final with two wins in three matches. She first finished Julia Borcher in Round 1. In her second match, Rafaela was caught in a kneebar by Ingridd Sousa. In the semifinal, Bertolot made it to the final with a 1×0 win over Thalyta Silva.
The final put Yara against Rafaela. The match was fast paced from the beginning and Yara used her size to put pressure and work a collar choke to get the finish. After winning, Yara revealed she was not 100% physically: “I tried to play my usual game, but I have an injury that held me back. In the final, I knew it was time to give it all and win it and that’s what I did.” Here’s how the bracket played out.
Group A
Round 1
Rebeca Lima 3 X 4 Yara Nascimento
Round 2
Rebeca Lima 3 x 5 Thalyta Silva
Round 3
Thalyta Silva 1 x 2 Yara Nascimento
Group B
Round 1
Rafaela Bertolot x Julia Borscher
Rafaela finishes Julia with a choke from the back
Round 2
Rafaela Bertolot x Ingridd Sousa
Ingridd finishes with a knee bar
Round 3
Ingridd Sousa 3 x 3 Julia Borscher
Julia wins for scoring last
Semifinals
Yara Nascimento 3 x 2 Ingridd Sousa
Rafaela Bertolot 1 x 0 Thalyta Silva
3rd Place
Ingridd Sousa 3 x 1 Thalyta Silva
Final
Rafaela Bertolot x Yara Nascimento
Yara finishes in the north and south collar choke
Final Results
1st – Yara Nascimento (Brazil)
2nd – Rafaela Bertolot (Brazil)
3rd – Ingridd Sousa (Brazil)
Abu Dhabi Grand Slam returns on Saturday with the Masters Division and the Lightweight Abu Dhabi King of Mats
The Abu Dhabi Grand Slam Tour Abu Dhabi returns this Saturday, May 7, for another full day of matches in the Jiu Jitsu Arena. Day 2 will feature the Masters Division, with athletes born in 1992 and before. The black belt division has big names such as Faisal Al Kitbi, Igor Silva, Renato Cardoso, Osvaldo Moizinho, among others. More info here.
After the seasoned competitors, it’s time for the 11th Edition of the Abu Dhabi King of Mats. This time the Lightweight division will take on the mats. The contenders are: Omar Al Fadhili, Isaac Doederlein, Alexssandro Sodré, Lucas Pinheiro, Meyran Alves, Rodnei Junior. More info here.
Follow the coverage on our Instagram Channel. Watch all matches live on Youtube.
Images: AJP
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