JIU-JITSU – BAHRAIN are set to headline a cast of nine countries that will be battling for medals today in the second JJAU Regional Championship West Asia.
The event has been organised and will be run by the Bahrain Jiu-Jitsu Federation (BJJF) under the Bahrain Combat Sports Council (BCSC), in collaboration with Ju-Jitsu Asian Union (JJAU).
It will be taking place at Isa Sports City in Riffa.
The kingdom’s flag will be flown by a 30-strong national team that includes four women and 26 men, who will be battling it out in their respective categories in youth, juniors, and adults.
Bahrain’s four women are Farah Al Dandal, Alaa Hasan, Layal Ismail, and Ema Janahi.
The men are Ali Monfaredi, Pedro Bisi de Jesus, Ali Al Alawi, Abdulla Al Shaikh, Mohamed Al Showaikh, Nasser Al Showaikh, Ahmed Albanna, Abdulla Ali, Mohamed Alnajjar, Mahmood Alnajjar, Yousif Alsalman, Mohamed Alswar, Ahmed Aseeri, Yousif Aseeri, Mohammed Ashoor, Bader Azadi, Khalid Faraj, Abdulla Khalaf, Mohamed Mahdi, Mohammed Mahmood, Yousuf Mercer, Hamad Mohseni, Yusuf Mubarak, Faisal Mustafa, Hadi Saeed, and Salman Sultan.
In all, there are 107 athletes, with the other participating nations being Iran, Jordan, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Oman, and the UAE.
Speaking ahead of the competition, BCSC member and BJJF president Redha Monfaredi confirmed that the kingdom is 100 per cent ready to host the championship.
“We see this tournament as more than just a sporting competition, but also an opportunity through which to show the organisational capabilities of Bahrain, and the depth of its professionalism in hosting major continental championships.
“We have been working for months preparing all the technical and logistical requirements, paying attention to the finest details to deliver a distinctive edition.
“Thanks to the guidance and support of His Highness Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the federation has succeeded in developing an integrated work plan, including the formation of specialised committees, ongoing coordination with the Ju-Jitsu Asian Union, as well as leveraging on national experiences in managing major events.”
A meeting was held earlier this week by the competition’s organising committee, chaired by BJJF vice-president Ahmed Mohammed Janahi, during which all the final arrangements for the event were ironed out.
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