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ABU DHABI: The eighth and final round of the second edition of the Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Jiu-Jitsu Championship continued on Saturday in Abu Dhabi with Al Jazira Jiu-Jitsu Club leading the standing at the end of the second day of competition.

The action took place at the Mubadala Arena in Zayed Sports City, which also saw Baniyas Jiu-Jitsu Club finish the day in second place with Al-Ain Jiu-Jitsu Club in third.

Saturday’s competition featured the U-14 and U-16 divisions in the Gi category. Male and female athletes delivered impressive performances, combining technical precision with tactical discipline and strong physical conditioning.

Mohamed Salem Al-Dhaheri, vice chairman of the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation, said: “The intensity of today’s matches and the skill level on display show that the UAE has a strong generation of young athletes ready to take the sport forward.”

He added: “It will be more than a celebration of athletic excellence. It will be a testament to how far the championship has come in promoting jiu-jitsu, developing talent, and reinforcing the UAE’s reputation as a global leader in the sport.”

Majid Saeed Al-Nahdi from Al-Ain Jiu-Jitsu Club, who won gold in the U-14 (45kg) gray belt division, said winning in the final round was particularly special.

“Standing on the podium today feels amazing,” he said. “My dream is to represent the UAE national team at international championships in the future.”

The championship concludes on Sunday with the U-12 and Kids divisions, followed by the awards ceremony to crown the Gi and No-Gi overall champions.

BERGAMO, Italy: Tadej Pogacar crossed the finish line first at the Tour of Lombardy and held up his open hand, each finger representing the record-equaling five times he won the Italian classic.

It capped an incredible season, which includes a fourth Tour de France title, with a successful defense of the world road race crown as he matched Fausto Coppi’s five wins at the Italian race on Saturday.

“Seven years in a row I’ve said this is my best season so far, and I can say it again today,” Pogacar said after thanking his UAE Emirates teammates for their part in his victory.

Pogacar’s winning streak has come in consecutive years, while Coppi won the Lombardy event in 1946, 1947, 1948, 1949 and 1954.

The Slovenian cycling star completed the 241-kilometer (150-mile) race, which included six climbs, in 5 hours, 45 minutes.

Top challenger Remco Evenepoel was second, 1 minute, 48 seconds behind. Michael Storer finished third, more than three minutes behind.

Pogacar has won three of the five one-day “monument” races this season, after also prevailing in the Tour de Flanders and Liege-Bastogne-Liege. He is the first rider to do that since Eddy Merckx in 1969, 1971, 1972 and 1975.