First competition day of Grand Slam Judo Tournament takes place in Ulaanbaatar
The first competition day of the Grand Slam judo tournament is underway in Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia, Azernews reports.
5 judokas of Azerbaijan will fight on the tatami in three weight categories on June 23.
Among the men (66 kg) Karamat Huseynov and Yashar Najafov will fight for medals.
Among women, Leyla Aliyeva (-48 kg) and Konul Aliyeva (-48 kg), Aidan Valiyeva (-52 kg) will try their forces.
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 started by Mehman Azizov, who won a silver medal at the Old World Championships in 1998.
A year later, Rasul Salimov, winner of the World Youth Games in Moscow, won a bronze medal at the European Championship in Slovakia. Another national judo wrestler Elchin Ismayilov became the European champion in 2000 in Wroclaw.
However, the achievements of Azerbaijani judoists did not stop there. Elnur Mammadli was recognized as the best at the 2008 Beijing Olympics in the weight category of up to 73 kg.
The Beijing Olympics of 2008 gave a new impulse to the development of judo in Azerbaijan.
Rustam Orudjev, Irina Kindzerskaya, Mammadali Mehtiyev, Elmar Gasimov, Hidayet Heydarov, Zelim Kotsoyev, Ushangi Kokauri, and Nijat Shikhalizade were included in the list of the best judoists of the country.
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