Azernews.Az

Laman Ismayilova

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The Azerbaijan Wrestling Championship has officially begun, with fierce competition already underway, Azernews reports. The first day of the tournament saw the final contenders determined in the Greco-Roman wrestling categories across various weight classes.

In the 55 kg category, Elmir Aliyev (Neftchi) will face off against Rashad Mammadov (Neftchi, Shamkir). The 63 kg final will feature Ziya Babashov (Neftchi) against Sakit Guliyev (Neftchi).

In the 72 kg category, Faraim Mustafayev (Neftchi) will compete with Khalid Hasanov (Neftchi). The 82 kg final will see Elmin Aliyev (MOIK Lankaran) go up against Tuncay Vezirzadeh (Neftchi). Lastly, in the 97 kg category, Muhammad Ahmadiev (Neftchi) will take on Murad Ahmadiev (Neftchi).

Tomorrow, the winners in these weight classes will be determined. Additionally, matches will commence in the 60 kg, 67 kg, 77 kg, 87 kg, and 130 kg categories.

The Azerbaijan Wrestling Championship is shaping up to be an exciting competition, with Neftchi wrestlers dominating the finals in several categories.

Wrestling continues to be the most popular sport in Azerbaijan and is overseen by the National Wrestling Federation, which was founded in 1993.

The Rio Olympic Games marked a significant milestone in Azerbaijan's wrestling history, as the country became one of only two nations to increase its medal count in five consecutive Olympics.

In 2020, Azerbaijani freestyle wrestlers secured third place in the overall medal standings at the Individual World Cup held in Serbia, winning two medals—a silver and a bronze—behind Russia, which led the table, and Turkiye.

In 2022, Osman Nurmagomedov (92 kg) claimed the World Championship title in Belgrade, defeating a Russian opponent in the final match.

At the 2024 Summer Olympics, Azerbaijan earned three bronze medals in wrestling: Hasrat Jafarov (67 kg) in Greco-Roman, and Giorgi Meshvildishvili (125 kg) and Magomedkhan Magomedov (97 kg) in freestyle.