Azernews.Az

By Amina Nazarli

The grandiose second Summer Youth Olympic Games wrapped up in Nanjing, China on August 28.

Startling victories of Azerbaijani sportsmen in the Olympic Games, one after another became a big success for the country.

Azerbaijan's team finished the Olympic Games with a haul of 12 medals, namely five gold medals (taekwondo fighter Said Guliyev, wrestler Islambek Dadov, boxer Rufat Huseynov, wrestler Teymur Mammadov and wrestler Igbal Hajizada), six silver medals (judo fighter Natig Gurbanli, judo fighter Leyla Aliyeva, taekwondo fighter Ceren Ozbek, rower Boris Yotov, wrestler Jabbar Najafov and wrestler Leyla Gurbanova) and one bronze medal (athlete Nazim Babayev).

With these victories, Azerbaijan secured the 10th place in the Olympics. The first place winner became China, the second went to Russian team, and the third place was gained by the U.S.

On the last day of the Olympics, two Azerbaijani wrestlers Teymur Mammadov at 63kg and Igbal Hajizada at 100kg increased the number of Azerbaijan's gold medals by defeating their rivals in the final.

The victory of World cadet champion Teymur Mammadov proved once more that Azerbaijan is one of the main rivals in the second Summer Youth Olympic Games.

Beating all his contenders, Georgian Iveriko Julakidze, Lukas Ebert Stein from South Africa and James Dydasko from Palau in the qualification, Teymur at 63kg had reached the final. After his impressive victory over Venezuelan Anthony Montero 3:0, Teymur secured the first place in the final.

"I watched Montero wrestle and he is quite good but I was ready," Mammadov said.

Igbal Hajizada also defeated his rivals in the qualification rounds, leaving no chance to Brazilian Madeira Heberi, Mexican Eduardo Betanzos Garcia and Abdulla Elgizavani from Egypt.

In the final Hajizada at 100kg won his main rival Dmitri Ceacusta from Moldova 3:1 and thus raising Azerbaijan's flag in Nanjing. Hajizada, who had finished 17th at the 2014 Cadet World Championship after losing to Ceacusta was determined to settle the score.

"I prepared mentally very well," Hajizada said. "It was a question of principle for me to win, because I had lost against him Ceacusta at the world championships. I took my revenge."

"I was inspired by my teammate's (Teymur Mammadov) gold medal and I wanted to repeat his success," Hajizada said.

Boxer Rufat Huseynov at 49kg has claimed his country's another gold medal in Nanjing. On the way to the final, Huseynov defeated Indian Kumar Shyam Kakara and Kazakh Shalkar Aikhynbay with the score 2:1 .

The brilliant victory over Uzbek Sulaymon Latipov 3:0, brought Rufat a deserved first place.

Up to 3,700 athletes aged 15-18 from all over the world participated in the competition. The sportsmen competed in 28 sports in different arenas and stadiums in Nanjing.

Azerbaijan's team comprised of 21 athletes competed in 9 events, namely athletics, shooting, judo, wrestling, taekwando, swimming, boxing, archery, rowing.