National wrestler wins license for Summer Olympic Games
By Laman Ismayilova
Azerbaijani wrestler Alice Manolova has won a license for the Tokyo Summer Olympics.
Manolova (68 kg) advanced to the quarterfinals, defeating the Greece`s Agora Papavasileu. She also left no chances to the Argentinan wrestler Clara Vasquez. Having won against her, Manolova advanced to the semifinals, where she proved to be stronger than the representative of Kazakhstan, Jamila Bakbergenova, and reached the final schedulted for May 8.
Another national wrestler eight-time European champion Maria Stadnik, also received a ticket to Tokyo-2020.
Wrestling remains the most popular sport in the county and is overseen by the National Wrestling Federation, which was established in 1993.
The Rio Games opened a new page in wrestling for Azerbaijan. The country became one of only two nations ever to increase the number of medals achieved in five consecutive Games.
In 2020, Azerbaijani freestyle wrestlers finished third in the overall medal table of the Individual World Cup in Serbia.
National wrestlers won two medals, including silver and bronze. Russia topped the medal table followed by Turkey.
The national team also won five medals at Grand Prix Moscow held in Russia.
National wrestlers Shamil Zubairov (97 kg) left no chances to all his rivals, Islam Bazarganov (57 kg) and Davud Ibrahimov (65 kg) won silver medals. Gitinomahammad Hajiyev (74 kg) and Osman Nurmahammadov (86 kg) finished third in the Grand Prix. Thus, the national team won 1 gold, 2 silver and 2 bronze medals in the tournament.
Moreover, Azerbaijan Wrestling Federation (AWF) held a webinar for international and national judges.
The virtual meeting covered decisions to be made in freestyle wrestling, attack and counter-attack in Greco-Roman wrestling and other disciplines.
The judges also discussed some wrestling techniques and tricks used at last tournaments.
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