A young Saudi man successfully achieved a world championship while in the United States for his son's treatment, winning a gold medal in the combat sport of "jiu-jitsu." Mohammed Al Mukhlis expressed his overwhelming joy upon returning to Saudi Arabia, where he received a warm welcome after being away for a year due to his son's treatment in the U.S.
He revealed that his son's illness began at birth when all medical tests indicated that he suffers from a serious lung disease requiring a transplant, according to the Al Arabiya website. Al Mukhlis said, "I went to America with my son Fahd and his mother during the COVID-19 pandemic for the lung transplant due to his critical condition."
He continued, "While I was there, I developed a passion for this type of sport and joined jiu-jitsu training. During the sessions, my coach informed me that I should participate in local tournaments because of my talent in this sport. I entered all the local tournaments in America and did not lose any."
He added that "seeing my son Fahd among the audience with an oxygen cylinder, supporting me throughout the tournaments, was a significant motivation for winning the gold medal." He noted that his son and wife are still in America, awaiting the lung transplant at a specialized hospital, while he returned on Friday.
Al Mukhlis emphasized that this sport is essential for self-defense and has specific rules that differ from others. He pointed out that there are various colored belts, with each color indicating a level of mastery in the sport. The white belt represents beginners, and the black belt signifies professionals. Competitors wear a suit called a kimono, made from lightweight cotton material.
It is noteworthy that Mohammad Al Mukhlis won the gold medal in the "Jiu-Jitsu" World Championship held in Houston, Texas, over three days in October. He shared several videos from the hospital with his son and inside the tournament hall celebrating his victory.
