Follow us:
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Google+
  • AppStore
  • RSS
Azernews.Az
Tuesday January 26 2021
  • Latest
  • Nation
  • World
  • Business
  • Oil & Gas
  • Armenian Aggression
  • Nagorno-karabakh conflict
  • Editorial
  • Analysis
  • Lifestyle
  • Events
  • Healthcare
  • Culture
  • Sports
  • Travel
Home
  • Home
  • Nation
  • World
  • Business
  • Oil & Gas
  • Armenian Aggression
  • Nagorno-karabakh conflict
  • Editorial
  • Analysis
  • Lifestyle
  • Events
  • Healthcare
  • Culture
  • Sports
  • Travel

National judoka crowned European champion [PHOTO]

23 November 2020 13:15 (UTC+04:00)
2 747

By Laman Ismayilova

National judoka Orkhan Safarov (-66 kg) has been crowned European Champion. 

The judo fighter won a gold medal on the first day of the European Championship held in Prague. Safarov left no chances to his opponents from Italy, Slovakia, Germany, Serbia and Israel.

On the last days of the championship, four more national judokas won medals. So, Irina Kindzerska (+78 kg) won a silver medal, while  Rustam Orujev (-73 kg), Mammadali Mehtiyev (-90 kg) and Zelym Kotsoiev (-100 kg) grabbed bronze medals.

Thus, Azerbaijani judokas won five medals at the European Championship in  Prague. 

European Judo Champion brought together 345 judokas from 40  countries. National team was represented by 14 judokas. 

National judo fighters started their road to success long ago. In 1992, Nazim Huseynov became the first Azerbaijani judoka to win an Olympic gold. He also won bronze at the World Judo Championships (1991) and the European title at European Judo Championships (1992).

Over this time, many promising judokas trained under the guidance of such coaches as Agayar Akhundzade, Hajiaga Hajiakhmedov, Ali Davrishev, Ibadulla Shabanov and others.

Founded in 1972, the Azerbaijan Judo Federation actively promotes this martial art across the country. Since 2015, the Federation has been headed 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 European Championship in Slovakia. Another national judoka Elchin Ismayilov became the European champion 2000 in Wroclaw.

However, the achievements of Azerbaijani judo fighters did not stop there. Elnur Mammadli was named best at Beijing Olympics 2008 in the 73 kg division. In the final, he beat Wang Ki-Chun and brought home a gold medal. In Beijing, Movlud Miraliyev enriched the country's medal haul with a bronze medal.

The Beijing Olympics 2008 gave a fresh impetus to judo in Azerbaijan.

The list of the country's top judo fighters includes Rustam Orujov, İryna Kindzerskaya, Mammadali Mehdiyev, Elmar Gasimov, Hidayet Heydarov, Zelim Kotsoev, Ushangi Kokauri and Nijat Shihalizadeh.

Rustam Orujov is the silver medalist of the 2016 Summer Olympics in the men's 73 kg event. Last year, he climbed the podium six times in various competitions. Silver medal at the World Championships in Tokyo is of particular attention.

İryna Kindzerskaya also showed her best at judo championships. The final of the Grand Slam in Dusseldorf 2020 also added extra points to Iryna in the judo ranking.

Mammadali Mehdiyev is a bronze medalist of the European Games in Minsk. He also finished fifth at the Grand Slam in Osaka, Paris and Dusseldorf.

Elmar Gasimov competed at the 2012 and 2016 Olympics and won a silver medal in 2016.

The judo fighter won a gold medal at the 2009 European Youth Championship, after defeating Lukáš Krpálek in the final. He also grabbed bronze at the 2017 World Championships.

Hidayet Heydarov enriched the country's medal haul with a  gold medal at the 2017 European Judo Championships. He defeated his teammate Rustam Orujov at the 2017 Islamic Solidarity Games final.

Zelim Kotsoev became Junior World Champion in Zagreb in 2017 and was also European Junior champion in 2017 in Maribor. He won the Grand Prix Antalya in 2018 and became European Cadet Champion U18 in 2014 in Athens and in 2015 in Sofia. The judoka took silver at the World Cadet Championships in Sarajevo in 2015.

He also won European Championships bronze in 2018 in Tel Aviv. Later, he took two bronze medals at the Grand Slam in Düsseldorf and silver in Abu Dhabi in 2019.

Ushangi Kokauri represented Azerbaijan at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. He won bronze at the Grand Slam in Paris and Abu Dhabi. He took the fifth place at the European Games, the Grand Prix in Antalya and Tel Aviv.

Nijat Shikhalizadeh took second place at  Oceania Open Cup in Perth. He also grabbed a silver medal at the Grand Slam in Baku.

Azerbaijani judokas continue to achieve global success enriching the country's medal haul with new victories.

---

Laman Ismayilova  is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz  

 
 

  • #JUDOKA
  • #MARTIAL ARTS
  • #JUDO TEAM
  • #AZERBAIJANI JUDOKA
  • #JUDO
  • #CHAMPIONSHIP
  • #SPORT
  • #AZERBAIJAN

Related News

Turkish investments in Azerbaijan's Karabakh to favor opening new jobs - expert

Turkish investments in Azerbaijan's Karabakh to favor opening new jobs - expert

19:05
Tax exemptions on wheat imports, sales may be extended in Azerbaijan

Tax exemptions on wheat imports, sales may be extended in Azerbaijan

18:33
Colonel talks restored and built roads in liberated lands of Azerbaijan

Colonel talks restored and built roads in liberated lands of Azerbaijan

18:16
Thousands of hectares of cultivatable lands demined in Azerbaijan's liberated districts

Thousands of hectares of cultivatable lands demined in Azerbaijan's liberated districts

18:00
Senior officers unveil details of demining operations in liberated lands

Senior officers unveil details of demining operations in liberated lands

17:54
Baku awaits foggy weather

Baku awaits foggy weather

17:35
French MFA's Secretary of State visits Azerbaijan <span class="color_red">[PHOTO]</span>

French MFA's Secretary of State visits Azerbaijan [PHOTO]

17:06
Neftchi player to join national futsal team

Neftchi player to join national futsal team

16:50
Number of killed soldiers given to Armenian side by Azerbaijan disclosed

Number of killed soldiers given to Armenian side by Azerbaijan disclosed

16:43
Azerbaijani expert talks transport problem in post-pandemic period

Azerbaijani expert talks transport problem in post-pandemic period

16:20
  • Latest
  • Popular
20:00 • Russia and Iran open to discuss Karabakh issue
19:44 • Access Bank eyes creating bank branches in Azerbaijani lands liberated from occupation
19:43 • Clearing of mines, unexploded ordnance continuing in liberated Fuzuli district [PHOTO/VIDEO]
19:36 • Armenian Armed Forces blew up bridges, destroyed roads retreating during second Karabakh War
19:24 • Gold price increases in Azerbaijan
19:05 • Turkish investments in Azerbaijan's Karabakh to favor opening new jobs - expert
18:57 • Prices for Azerbaijani oil revealed
18:44 • Azerbaijan Airlines increases flights number on Baku-Nakhchivan route
18:33 • Tax exemptions on wheat imports, sales may be extended in Azerbaijan
18:16 • Colonel talks restored and built roads in liberated lands of Azerbaijan
18:00 • Thousands of hectares of cultivatable lands demined in Azerbaijan's liberated districts
17:54 • Senior officers unveil details of demining operations in liberated lands
17:50 • FIG cancels holding Artistic Gymnastics World Cup in Azerbaijan’s Baku
17:49 • Azerbaijani banks buy more foreign currency at CBA's auction
17:35 • Baku awaits foggy weather
17:24 • BakuBus LLC transferred to Azerbaijan Investment Holding
17:15 • Sale of gold, silver in Azerbaijan may become tax-free
17:06 • French MFA's Secretary of State visits Azerbaijan [PHOTO]
17:00 • Some 27 engineering troops servicemen killed in Karabakh war
16:50 • Neftchi player to join national futsal team
10:20 • Azerbaijan notifies foreign law-enforcers about Armenia's crimes in Karabakh war [PHOTO]
11:15 • Baku slams Russian MP's anti-Azerbaijani remarks
13:17 • Anglo Asian Mining restores its contract areas in Azerbaijan’s liberated territories
11:00 • Azerbaijan's cargo transportation via TRACECA hits 35.5m tons in 2020
10:00 • Azerbaijan, Japan eye cooperation in mining industry [PHOTO]
12:40 • Azerbaijan files criminal case over its citizen's killing in pirate attack on Turkish ship
10:40 • Baku hosts French Film Festival
17:00 • Some 27 engineering troops servicemen killed in Karabakh war
13:00 • Azercell expanded the coverage of the LTE network to more than 85% of the country's territory last year
11:54 • Azerbaijan to create Karabakh development model - Center for Analysis of Economic Reforms
12:15 • Culture Ministry calls for talented filmmakers
15:38 • Carpet Museum to host international conference
13:40 • IDEA starts exports to Qatari company
15:19 • Azerbaijan Georgia’s main bitumen supplier in 2020
13:53 • President Aliyev receives new minister of transport, communications and high technologies [PHOTO]
11:20 • Azerbaijan's Cabinet of Ministers determines priorities for 2021 [PHOTO]
12:50 • Amount of fee transfers to Azerbaijan's 2020 state budget disclosed
14:06 • National Art Museum director awarded with Ataturk Award
14:50 • Azerbaijan-Belarus trade turnover soars in 2020
14:28 • President Aliyev receives French Minister [PHOTO]
See more
AzerNews Newspaper
AzerNews
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Google+
  • RSS

Information

About us Contacts Advertising Azernews In Print

News Archive

© 2021 AzerNews. All rights reserved