Madeline Hughes wins bronze at international Brazilian jiu-jitsu tournament

Madeline Hughes is celebrating a bronze medal win at the Boston Spring International Open.

It was the highest calibre Brazilian jiu-jitsu tournament Hughes has competed in.

"It was an amazing experience," she said.

"It was a much bigger tournament than anything I've been used to and it was really interesting and amazing to see so many high-level athletes in one place, especially women with purple, brown and black belts, and watching them compete, it was really cool to see."

The 38-year old isa registered nurse,a clinical nursing instructor withUPEIanda mother of three.

On top of all that, she had been training 15to 20hours a week in preparation for the tournament.

Paul Abel, her coach andjiu-jitsuprofessor at GracieHumaitaP.E.I., saidit wasthe first time an Island female has competed in an international jiu-jitsu tournament.

Nervous excitement

Hughes said this was the first time she had to weigh-in right before a match, and she had to lose a few pounds quickly to make weight.

"I had a little bit of weight to cut so that was a little bit nerve-racking, just getting there and making sure I was on weight. But once I was weighed in I was more excited than nervous," she said.

"It's always a bit nerve-racking stepping onto the mat opposing someone who wants to come out with the result that you want to come out with as well."

Hughes lost in the semi-finals to eventual gold medallistYasiscaPujols.

Coming home

Hughes returned home Sunday afternoon and said everyone has "been very, very supportive and excited" for her.

She said she wants her success to get others into the sport.

"The exposure that I've gotten, you know, just throughout this trip and training for it, and everybody that's helped me throughout the Maritimes and at my home gym as well has been great, so I'm hoping there will be some more people that will haveseen my journey and will have tapped a bit of interest into what jiu-jitsu is and that anybody can really do it,"she said.

"Hopefully we'll see some new faces around the gym because of this."

Hughes is competing in a tournament in Windsor, N.S., in a few weeks, and is aiming to fight at another in Toronto in September.

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