Azernews.Az

Friday March 29 2024

Togrul Asgarov, best athlete of Europe

30 October 2015 17:18 (UTC+04:00)
Togrul Asgarov, best athlete of Europe

By Amina Nazarli

Azerbaijani wrestler, winner of the 2012 Summer Olympic Games and the 1st European Games in Baku, Togrul Asgarov has been selected the best men athlete of Europe.

The athlete was awarded at the 20th General Assembly of Association National Olympic Committees (ANOC) in Washington, which annually determines the best athletes of the world.

“I am really very happy. I am glad to be the best male athlete of the European continent. I thank everyone, who supported me,” Asgarov said while receiving the award.

Azerbaijani Youth and Sports Minister Azad Rahimov and Vice-president of the National Olympic Committee Chingiz Huseynzade also attended the event held in Washington, the U.S..

Earlier in September, Asgarov weighing at 65kg booked a spot to the Rio 2016 Summer Olympics.

Twenty-three-year-old Togrul began to engage in sport at the age of 10 in his homeland Ganja. However, prior to the fight he was engaged in judo for two years. But following the recommendation of his coach, Asgarov started wrestling and later he was so pleased with this sport that the athlete continued to engage in free-style wrestling.

In 2008, Asgarov won gold in the Cadet European Wrestling Championship held in Daugavpils, a city in southeastern Latvia. After a year Asgarov became the double European champion among youth.

Immediately after the Olympic Games in London Togrul faced problems with the stomach and had to go to Turkey for treatment. Due to health problems Asgarov was forced to miss the European Championship and the World Cup in 2013. But despite this Togrul did not stop training and proved he is capable of even more than he had shown.

The talented athlete was also awarded the Order of Glary "Shohrat" in 2012, and on the same year he was included in the list of 20 best sportsmen of the country.

ANOC is responsible for protecting and advancing the interests of the world's National Olympic Committees (NOCs), and for supporting their mission to promote the Olympic Values worldwide. Over the last 35 years, the number of NOCs recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and represented by ANOC has risen to 206.

--

Amina Nazarli is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @amina_nazarli

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz

Loading...
Latest See more