The AJP Tour Asia Continental Pro championship kicked off on Saturday at Abu Dhabi’s Jiu-Jitsu Arena in Zayed Sports City with the UAE taking home the most medals. The tournament is being organized by the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation in collaboration with Abu Dhabi Jiu-Jitsu Pro. Saturday’s competitions, which saw grapplers take part in the teens, youth, and masters’ divisions, ended with Commando Group taking first place, Palms Sports — Team 777 coming second, and Al-Ain Jiu-Jitsu Club securing third place. In terms of country rankings, Colombia and Brazil took second and third places, respectively, behind the UAE. Abdel Moneim Al-Hashemi, chairman of the UAEJJF, president of the Asian Jiu-Jitsu Union, and senior vice president of the International Jiu-Jitsu Federation, praised the winners at a ceremony held following the action. Youssef Al-Batran, board member of the UAEJJF, said: “The championship’s remarkable success reflects the joint efforts of the UAEJJF and AJP which have attracted hundreds of jiu-jitsu professionals from more than 50 nations to the UAE capital and produced an excellent competition atmosphere. “Events like these strengthen Abu Dhabi’s status as the world’s jiu-jitsu capital,” he added. The athletes from Brazilian academies in particular put on outstanding performances on Saturday. Among them was Jorge Pereira, a black-belt holder from the Brazilian JSBJJ Academy, who competed in the 77-kilogram masters’ category and scooped gold. He said: “We hold the AJP championships in great regard since they help us advance our careers and raise our rankings. I have been constantly participating in AJP tournaments all over the world. “I came to Abu Dhabi from Brazil not only to compete for medals but also to prepare for the Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship.” In turn, Ayaz Suleymanov, a black belt from Renzo Gracie Azerbaijan, who won gold in the masters’ 94-kg category, said: “I signed up for this event as part of our rigorous training for the Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship. Today’s competitions were a remarkable experience. The Asia Continental Pro in Abu Dhabi gave us a memorable learning experience that will help us advance our skills.” The UAE girls stood out in the tournament’s elite field of competitors from the region and around the globe. Mariam Al-Ali, a blue belt from Palms Sports — Team 777, managed to win the youth women’s 48-kg category. She said: “Today’s competitions offered us a great chance to develop and perfect our skills as we go up against some of the best international players from different international clubs and academies. It significantly contributed to the development of our technical and physical skills.” AJP general manager, Tareq Al-Bahri, said: “The AJP Tour Asia Continental Pro is crucial to several players’ professional careers because of the volume of points it provides and the impact it has on their annual rankings. Additionally, the competition offers a chance to be ready for the Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship.”