Nadine Abbott Bissett Takes Gold at IMMAF World Championships

Nadine Abbott Bissett secured a gold medal for Team Ireland on Saturday when she defeated Finland’s Jenna Horto in the atomweight final in the Jiu Jitsu Arena, Abu Dhabi.

Bissett, who represents Team Ryano, took home a unanimous decision win over her Finnish rival to take home Team Ireland’s first gold medal off the week. The Dublin woman put on an outstanding performance throughout the week, she secured a submission win in her opening fight of the tournament against Kazakhstan’s Tuymegul Zhunys. A win which meant she progressed to the semi-final stages of the atomweight bracket.

The 21-year old took on India’s Vridhi Kumari in the semi-finals where she put on a masterclass, dominating from start to finish. Bissett came close with a rear-naked choke toward the end of the fight, she switched up to some ground and pound and the ref was forced to call a halt to the action in the third round. The win sealed her place in the 105-pound division final.

Bissett kept her momentum going into the final where she went up against Jenna Horto. The first round was close, but as the fight progressed Bissett imposed her will with a beautiful back take in the second round and another in round three. Her dominance in the second and third round was enough to secure the fight by unanimous decision. The 2019 IMMAF European & World silver medalist secured her first IMMAF gold medal and was one on the standout performers of the entire 2021 World Championships.

Along with Bissett’s gold medal. Team Ireland had more athletes on the podium in what was a massively successful week overall for fighters, coaches and the backroom team. Kiya O’Sullivan picked up a silver medal in the junior flyweight category, she was defeated by Kazakhstan’s Karina Sisenova in the final. Éabha Cruise, who was defeated by O’Sullivan in the semi-final, picked up bronze in the same division. In the middleweight division Paul Buckley secured himself a bronze medal after impressing all the way to the the semi-finals where he was defeated by New Zealand’s Fergus Jenkins.

All in all it was a massively successful week for Team Ireland and the entire IMMAA team should be very proud of what they have achieved.