Singaporean clinches world title in professional jiu jitsu

Singaporean Quek Kon Hui, seen in this 2009 file photo, clinched a world title in professional jiu jitsu at the Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2015 last week. -- PHOTO: THE BUSINESS TIMES FILE
Singaporean Quek Kon Hui, seen in this 2009 file photo, clinched a world title in professional jiu jitsu at the Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2015 last week. -- PHOTO: THE BUSINESS TIMES FILE

SINGAPORE - Singaporean Quek Kon Hui clinched a world title in professional jiu jitsu at the Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2015 last week.

The 39-year-old won in the Male Brown Master 2 75kg category at the tournament in the United Arab Emirates, beating Christopher James Doty of the United States. The category is for competitors who meet the weight requirement, hold brown belts, the second-highest rank in Brazilian jiu jitsu, and are 36 years old and above.

He is believed to be the first Singaporean to win a world title in professional jiu jitsu.

Quek told Yahoo: "I'm glad I could put Singapore on the jiu-jitsu map. There is a growing pool of local talent so I hope this opens the way for more success for us in the future."

In an interview with the Business Times in 2009, the then executive director of Hong Leong Holdings said that Bruce Lee was a major influence growing up, and that he got hooked on Brazilian jiu jitsu and mixed martial arts as an undergraduate at the University of London.

He said: "Personally, I don't like to fight. But if you spend 90 per cent of your time training in a combat sport and you don't get to fight, let me ask you, what are you doing it for? There has to be something more.

"From the onset, it teaches you discipline and respect, not only for others, but for yourself as well. Trained properly, rightly, it is a holistic approach to living life."

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