National judo team to compete at European Judo Championships U23 Individuals

By Laman Ismayilova

Azerbaijani judokas will compete at European Judo Championships U23 Individuals 2024.

The championships will take place on November 15-16, bringing together 321 judokas from 36 countries to the city of Pila, Poland.

On the first day of the competition, nine Azerbaijani judokas will compete for medals.

In the women's category, Farida Mirzayeva (48 kg), Khadija Gadashova and Aidan Valiyeva (both 52 kg), Fidan Alizade (57 kg), and Aytaj Gardashkhanli (63 kg) will enter the fight.

In the men's category, Huseyn Allahyarov, Murad Muradli (both 60 kg), Rufat Shovletov, and Abil Yusubov (both 73 kg) will test their strengths.

Azerbaijan is represented at European Judo Championships U23 Individuals 2024 by 15 judokas.

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, ?rina 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.