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.
