Azernews.Az

By Laman Ismayilova

Azerbaijani judoka Zaur Jalil has (up to 73 kg) has ranked first at the US Judo Senior National Championships. This is Jalil’s third gold medal at the US Judo Championship event, Trend reported.

During the award ceremony, the wrestler said that he was dedicating his victory to Azerbaijani people and the Nagorno-Karabakh region liberated from the Armenian occupation.

Zaur Jalil lives in New York. He is the son of Telman Jalilov, president of the Azerbaijan Cultural Center in New York, who has been living in the US since 1998.

The wrestler began his training in Azerbaijan in 1991. Over these years, he has competed in various judo competitions throughout the world.

Zaur Jalil earned a 3rd place (bronze) medal at the United States National Championship in the Senior Division in 2015.

The wrestler also won silver medal in 2016 and gold in both 2017 and 2018 at the United States National Championship.

In 2017, Zaur became the first Ranked National Veterans Athlete in USA Judo.

Founded in 1972, the Azerbaijani 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.

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

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