Athletes who train in person or remotely with Island Top Team were among the top performers at the world NoGi championships for Brazilian jiu-jitsu. (Rob Biernacki)

By Dan Marshall

Podium Finishes

Island Top Team athletes finish strong at Brazilian jiu-jitsu world championship

Jan 3, 2026 | 5:56 AM

NANAIMO — Island Top Team athletes have recently returned from the IBJJF NoGi World Championship in Las Vegas.

Coach Rob Biernacki said the team had a one-hundred percent podium rate at the Dec. 11-14 event, and as a coach, he had a unique hand in one particular final.

“Sarah Kolybaba took silver in her lightweight purple belt masters division, facing a subscriber to my online academy in the finals. In addition to using my online academy material, the gold medalist has also visited us for training and attended my seminars in the US, as has the bronze medalist. I feel pretty cool having directly and indirectly coached the ladies on every step of the podium!”

Kolybaba added to a strong resume with her silver medal win.

She was already the first woman at ITT to win a superfight on a pro card, the first to win gold at an ADCC Open, and now is only the second athlete to hit the podium at the NoGi World Championship.

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Douglas Flockhart took bronze in his weight class and silver in the open weight absolute in the brown belt masters as well.

Flockhart trains both in Nanaimo and in Switzerland, where he is the coach at one of Island Top Team’s European affiliate clubs.

Island Top Team is a highly regarded Brazilian jiu-jitsu club with classes for adults and kids of all skill levels.

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