Gabriel De Sousa and Gabrieli Pessanha have been crowned the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation’s (UAEJJF) Players of the Year.
Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan was guest of honour and presented the trophies in a gala awards ceremony after the UAEJJF’s season-ending championship at the Emirates Palace on Saturday night.
“The award nominations are a true reflection of the quality of jiu-jitsu witnessed throughout the 2018-2019 season and culminated in a hugely-competitive Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship,” said Abdulmunam Al Hashemi, chairman of UAEJJF.
“Everyone who has competed and been involved in the continued evolution and growth of our sport deserves recognition,” added Al Hashemi who is also the president of the Jiu-Jitsu Asian Union and senior vice president of the International Jiu-Jitsu Federation.
“As we continue to create new heroes and providing a platform for people to realise their dreams, it is an honour to award athletes from the UAE and six continents, as well as academies and local schools who are doing so much to help the Federation grow the sport.”
Recognising the past and the future of jiu-jitsu, awards were also presented for Best Rookie, which went to Brazilians Thailson Soares, while Best Master Player of the Year went to Igor Silva, last year’s Best Male Player of the Year.
