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Laman Ismayilova

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Azerbaijan's female wrestler Gunay Gurbanova (59 kg) has won bronze medal at the U-23 World Wrestling Championships in Novi Sad, Serbia, Azernews reports.

Gunay Gurbanova defeated Italy's Aurora Russo, further enriching Azerbaijan's medal haul at the championship.

Meanwhile, two of the Azerbaijani freestyle wrestlers missed out on podium finishes. Magomed-Bashir Khaniyev (74 kg) lost to Germany's Manuel Wagner (4-8) just one step away from the medal, while Sadiq Mustafazade (92 kg) was defeated by Uzbekistan's Shirzad Poyonov (pin) in the consolation round.

Note that the Azerbaijani team includes Elmir Aliyev (55 kg), Ilkin Gurbanov (60 kg), Ziya Babashov (63 kg), Faraim Mustafayev (67 kg), Ruslan Nurullayev (72 kg), Davud Mammadov (77 kg), Elmin Aliyev (82 kg), Lachin Valiyev (87 kg), Ali Guliyev (97 kg), and Aykhan Mardanov (130 kg).

They are competing at the tournament under the leadership of head coach Aleksandr Tarakanov, senior coach Rovshan Bayramov, and coaches Hasan Aliyev and Kamran Mammadov.

The female athletes representing Azerbaijan are Asmar Jankurtaran (50 kg), Elnura Mammadova (53 kg), Gultakin Shirinova (55 kg), Nargiz Samadova (57 kg), Gunay Gurbanova (59 kg), Birgul Soltanova (62 kg), and Ruzanna Mammadova (65 kg).

Women wrestlers have entered the competition under the leadership of acting head coach Togrul Asgarov, senior coach Aghahuseyn Mustafayev, and coach Solmaz Adilova.

Freestyle wrestlers will compete in the final days of the tournament, including Muhammadali Alizade (57 kg), Jeykhun Allahverdiyev (61 kg), Aykhan Abdullazadə (65 kg), Kanan Heybatov (70 kg), Magomed-Bashir Khaniyev (74 kg), Farid Jabbarov (79 kg), Ali Tsokayev (86 kg), Sadig Mustafazade (92 kg), Zafar Aliyev (97 kg), and Khetag Karsanov (125 kg), under the leadership of head coach Khetag Gazyumov, senior coach Jabrayil Hasanov, and coaches Taymuraz Kokoyev and Sharif Sharifov.

The World Championship is officiated by Category I referee Asif Shiraliyev, as well as Category I referees Kamran Aliyev and Habib Nurulu.

Wrestling remains the most popular sport in the country and is governed by the National Wrestling Federation, established in 1993.

The Rio Olympic Games marked a new chapter in Azerbaijan's wrestling history, as the nation became one of only two countries ever to increase its medal count in five consecutive Olympic 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 Turkiye.

In 2022, Azerbaijani wrestler Osman Nurmagomedov (92 kg) was crowned the World Champion in Belgrade.

Nurmagomedov became the World Champion after defeating the Russian wrestler in the final.

At the 2024 Summer Olympics, Greco-Roman wrestler Hasrat Jafarov (67 kg), freestyle wrestlers Giorgi Meshvildishvili (125 kg) and Magomedkhan Magomedov (97 kg) won bronze medals for Azerbaijan.