I used chess to become a judo champion

The player, Muhammad Abdullah Al-Mazmi, revealed that playing chess helped him become a champion in judo, and win 15 colorful medals during his career in this combat sport at the local and international levels, stressing that his future ambition is to participate in the Olympics and world championships, to win titles, and raise the UAE flag on the podiums.

The talented Al-Mazmi (15 years old) told Emirates Al-Youm: “The decision to choose judo was not easy, because I was practicing chess with a great passion, and on the right path to becoming a skilled player, but I loved action and combat sports, in conjunction with chess, the mental sport that taught me patience, precision of thinking and planning, and it is one of the important and required elements in practicing judo, as it requires mental calm, appropriate decision-making, and quick movement.”

He added: “Since the first exercise, I felt a great desire to practice judo, and I found care from my coach, the club’s judo technical director, Islam Abdel Fattah, which turned the experience into a true passion over time, especially after my participation in tournaments.”

Al-Mazmi continued that his choice of judo came by chance, but his background in chess contributed to refining his personality on the field, as it gave him the ability to focus and read the opponent, noting that his previous practice of football and gymnastics also helped him accelerate his excellence in judo.

He pointed out that “joining the Sharjah Self-Defense Sports Club played an important role in its continuity, due to the club’s proximity to his home, which helped him commit, in addition to the encouraging environment that provided him with the opportunity to develop, and this helped him change his view of judo from just a hobby to an ambitious project, represented by the dream of being in the Olympic Games, or major tournaments.” The player revealed that he won 15 colorful medals in his career in judo at the local and international levels, including nine gold, two silver, and four bronze in the junior category, indicating that his biggest dream is to climb international podiums and raise the UAE flag in the Olympic Games, on a journey that began from the calm of chess, to the hustle and bustle of judo.

Al-Mazmi pointed to the support and great role played by his family, especially the support of his father and mother, which helped him organize his time between studying and training, as well as his coaches.

For his part, the technical director of judo, Islam Abdel Fattah, confirmed that the speed of responding to technical directions during training and competitions, which the player Mohamed Al-Mazmi enjoys, is considered an important characteristic for any player, and we have noticed this during many tournaments and training. He said, “We worked to develop his skills, and he will certainly become an international champion in the near future.”

He continued: “At the Sharjah Self-Defense Sports Club, we are keen to combine sports and high morals, socially and athletically, as they are important specifications in sustaining success. We found these specifications deeply rooted in the Al-Mazmi player, which helped him develop rapidly, and we hope to see him crowned on international podiums in the near future.”