WTF World Cadet Taekwondo Championships opens in Baku
By Amina Nazarli
An official opening ceremony of the 1st WTF World Cadet
Taekwondo Championships was held in Baku on July 24.
The competition has brought together 600 fighters from 65 counties.
Azerbaijan is represented by 18 fighters.
Addressing the event, President of the Azerbaijan Taekwondo Federation and Vice President of the World Taekwondo Federation Kamaladdin Heydarov spoke about the government's attention to sports in Azerbaijan.
He said that Azerbaijan has known as a sports country in the world and noted that Azerbaijani sportsmen have successfully participated in the international arena due to a sports policy established by national leader Heydar Aliyev and continued by President Ilham Aliyev.
Heydarov thanked all teams and sportsmen for participation in the tournament and wished them success.
President of the World Taekwondo Federation Chungwon Choue congratulated the world taekwondo family on the occasion of opening of the great tournament, and hailed the government's attention to sports in Azerbaijan.
Speaking at the event, Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports of
Azerbaijan Ismayil Ismayilov noted President Aliyev's attentions to
sports and said that this sphere had developed successfully in
Azerbaijan.
Then Kamaladdin Heydarov and Vice-President of the Azerbaijan
National Olympic Committee Chingiz Huseynzade were presented some
awards from the World Taekwondo Federation.
Azerbaijani Youth and Sports Minister Azad Rahimov was also honored with the 5th Dan Black Belt.
The first games of the tournament were held on the same day.
Junior Azerbaijani fighters have grabbed three medals on the opening day, as Mahammad Alizade (33 kg) and Minaya Akbarova (29kg) gained silver medals, while Nargiz Mirzayeva won bronze medal in the 37kg weight class.
The championship will last for 4 days.