The draw ceremony for the Azerbaijan Judo Championship has been
held in Baku, Azernews reports.
Executive Vice-President of Azerbaijan Judo Federation (AJF)
Rashad Rasullu, Advisor to the Judo Federation President and Chair
of the Referees Committee Natiq Bagirov, as well as Deputy
Secretary-General and Sports Director Kamran Talibov attended the
draw ceremony.
Speaking at the event, Rashad Rasullu emphasized that over 320
athletes from 60 sports organizations would participate in the
championship.
He underlined that this year is remarkable for Azerbaijani judo,
recalling the historic results achieved at the Olympic Games,
European and World Championships, as well as competitions among
youth and juniors.
AJF Executive Vice-President stated that these successes create
a strong incentive for both the athletes and the future activities
of the federation. He stressed that all necessary measures are
being taken to ensure the competitions are held at a high level. He
also invited fans to watch the competitions from the arena.
Natiq Bagirov highlighted the experience and professionalism of
the referees, expressing confidence that the competitions will be
conducted fairly and transparently, wishing all athletes
success.
Kamran Talibov provided information about the competition
program during the draw ceremony, after which the draw
commenced.
Note that Azerbaijan Judo Championship will take place in Baku
from November 29 to December 1.
More than 300 judokas from various parts of the country,
including Sumqayıt and Baku, will compete for medals at the Baku
Sports Palace.
Co-organized jointly by the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the
Azerbaijan Judo Federation (AJF), the championship will feature
both men's and women's competitions.
Founded in 1972, the Azerbaijan Judo Federation actively
promotes this martial art across the country. Since 2015, the
Federation has been led by Rovnag Abdullayev.
The country's modern judo history was laid by Mehman Azizov, who
won a silver medal at the Old World Championship in 1998.
A year later, the winner of the World Youth Games in Moscow,
Rasul Salimov, grabbed the bronze medal at the European
Championship in Slovakia. Another national judoka, Elchin
Ismayilov, became the European champion in 2000 in Wroclaw.
However, the achievements of Azerbaijani judo fighters did not
stop there. Elnur Mammadli was named the best at the 2008 Beijing
Olympics in the 73 kg division.
The list of the country's top judo fighters includes Rustam
Orujov, Irina Kindzerskaya, Mammadali Mehdiyev, Elmar Gasimov,
Hidayat Heydarov, Zelim Kotsoev, Ushangi Kokauri, and Nijat
Shikhalizada.
At the Paris 2024 Summer Olympic Games, judokas Hidayat Heydarov
(73 kg) and Zelym Kotsoiev (100 kg) earned gold medals for
Azerbaijan.