Azerbaijan U18 Judo Championship to gather 800 athletes

The Azerbaijan U18 Judo Championship is set to take place from January 9 to 12, Azernews reports. The competition is organized by the Ministry of Youth and Sports in partnership with the Azerbaijan Judo Federation.

The Azerbaijan U18 Judo Championship will take place at the Sports and Health Center of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, where male and female competitors will compete across 18 weight categories in pursuit of victory.

A total of 800 judokas from different parts of the country, including participants from Sumgayit and Baku, are expected to take part in this prestigious competition for a chance to win medals.

The individual matches will occur from January 9 to 11, while the team competitions are planned for the final day of the championship.

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.