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Laman Ismayilova

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Azerbaijani judo athletes have achieved significant success at Guba Millennium Team Cadet European Cup, Azernews reports.

They amassed an impressive 18 medals, including three gold, six silver, and nine bronze, throughout the three-day event.

Azerbaijan's strong showing also led to a second-place finish in the team competition.

Athletes from 12 countries, including Croatia, France, Georgia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Poland, Saudi Arabia, Turkmenistan, and Turkiye, participated in the tournament, which is included in the official calendar of the European Judo Union (EJU).

Judokas competing under the flag of the International Judo Federation (IJF) also took part in the European Cup.

A total of 140 cadet judo athletes represented Azerbaijan at the judo competition.

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 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 the European Championship in Slovakia. Another national judoka, Elchin Ismayilov, became the European champion in 2000 in Wroclaw.

However, the achievements of Azerbaijani judo fighters did not stop there. Elnur Mammadli was named the best at the 2008 Beijing Olympics in the 73 kg division.

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

At the Paris 2024 Summer Olympic Games, judokas Hidayat Heydarov (73 kg) and Zelym Kotsoiev (100 kg) earned gold medals for Azerbaijan.