Azeri athletes back after successful performance at Olympics
Azerbaijani athletes returned home on Wednesday morning after a successful performance at the Olympic Games in London.
The athletes, who brought home 10 medals, were welcomed by the public and representatives of sports federations at the Heydar Aliyev International Airport of Baku.
Olympic wrestling champion Togrul Asgarov shared his impressions with reporters.
"I am happy. Every athlete dreams of winning the Olympics, and I am not an exception. But only upon return to Baku I realized that I am winner of the Olympics," Asgarov said.
He said, however, that one should not rest on his laurels. "I will train still more. My goal is to become a world champion and two-time Olympic champion," he said.
Azerbaijan's Olympic team was represented by 53 athletes in 16 sports at the 30th Summer Olympic Games. The national team ranked 30th in the Olympic rating list, with two gold, two silver and six bronze medals. Azerbaijan left behind such countries as Canada, Argentina, Finland, Greece, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Turkey and Poland.
Free-style wrestlers Togrul Asgarov and Sharif Sharifov became the Olympic champions, while Khetag Gazyumov claimed bronze. Wrestler Rovshan Bayramov won a silver medal, while another athlete vying in Greco-Roman wrestling, Emin Ahmadov, won a bronze medal.
Azerbaijani female wrestlers also brought home medals. Mariya Stadnik, participating in women's 48kg freestyle wrestling, won a silver medal, while Yulia Ratkevich, competing in the 55 kg bracket, won a bronze medal in freestyle wrestling.
Boxers Teymur Mammadov and Magomedrasul Majidov won bronze medals at the Olympics.
Azerbaijani weightlifter Valentin Hristov won a silver medal.
Head coach of Azerbaijani wrestling team Firdovsi Umudov told reporters, "At the previous Olympics, we had gold medals, and we tried very hard to win them this time as well in order to please our fans and our people."
Umudov said the Azerbaijani wrestlers showed high professionalism at the Olympic Games.
"All this was possible thanks to the support, attention and care of the Azerbaijani government and personally President Ilham Aliyev. I regard this victory as a victory of the Azerbaijani people. We will try to seal new victories," Umudov said.
Upon returning home, members of the Azerbaijani Olympic team paid tribute to the monument to Azerbaijani late national leader, former President Heydar Aliyev, erected in front of the palace bearing his name.