UAE Jiu Jitsu Fed holds 'world's biggest training session'

The United Arab Emirates Jiu-Jitsu Federation (UAEJJF) has attempted to set a new Guinness World Record for the world’s biggest training session of the martial art, with a session involving 2,700 people.

The training took place simultaneously in 14 locations across the Gulf state on Monday, including at the Brazil pavilion at the Expo 2020 Dubai, the country from which the martial art originates.

"We are proud to organise the training sessions in 14 different locations simultaneously. The session at Expo 2020 Dubai was the highlight, and we hosted it in collaboration with the Brazil pavilion to coincide with the country’s Republic Day," Mohammed Salem Al Dhaheri, Vice Chairman of the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation, was quoted by Gulf Today as saying.

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who made a surprise visit to the Brazil pavilion, hailed the upcoming 13th Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship in November as demonstrating "the evolution of the sport in the UAE, and the growth of Jiu-Jitsu across the world".

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, also known as BJJ, is an adaptation of the traditional Japanese martial art of the same name. The grappling art was established in the South American country in the early 1900s and has become a popular form of self defence around the world.

The UAEJJF's world record bid follows a successful attempt by UAE HSBC employees to set a record for the "Most Nationalities Reciting a Poem" earlier this month.

The event saw 50 staff HSBC UAE staff members of 50 different nationalities recite a poem outside the firm's Downtown Dubai headquarters.