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Laman Ismayilova

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The Azerbaijan national judo team has announced its roster for Lima Grand Prix 2025, Azernews reports.

The tournament will be held from October 11-13 in Lima, the capital of Peru.

Some 17 judokas (14 men and 3 women) will represent the country in 9 weight categories.

In the men's competition, the following athletes will compete: Turan Bayramov and Ahmad Yusifov (both in the 60 kg category), Ruslan Pashayev and Rashad Yelkiyev (both in the 66 kg category), Hidayat Heydarov and Rashid Mammadaliyev (both in the 73 kg category), Vusal Galandarzade and Omar Rajabli (both in the 81 kg category), Vugar Talibov and Murad Fatiyev (both in the 90 kg category), Zelym Kotsoiev and Ajdar Baghirov (both in the 100 kg category), and Ushangi Kokauri and Kanan Nasibov (both in the +100 kg category).

For the women's competition, the team consists of Konul Aliyeva (48 kg), Khadija Gadashova, and Aydan Valiyeva (both in the 52 kg category).

The three-day tournament will feature 293 athletes from 49 countries, including 172 men and 121 women.

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.