Azernews.Az

By Amina Nazarli

Azerbaijan will send more than 60 strongest athletes to compete in the leading international sporting event Olympic Games, this year hosted by the second most populous municipality in Brazil -- Rio de Janeiro.

Youth and Sport Ministry Azad Rahimov said that compared to the London 2012 Olympic Games, Rio 2016 will see more national athletes.

“The national athletes won license in new sports including triathlon, bike track, and canoe slalom. We are pleased that new sports are developing in the country,” he said.

In 2012 London Summer Olympics the country was represented by 53 athletes in 15 sports. Azerbaijan left London with a total of 10 medals including two gold, two silver, and six bronze, which doubled the nation's overall medal count at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens.

This was also the nation's most successful Olympics, winning the largest number of medals received at a single games. More than half of these medals were awarded in wrestling, including gold medals won by Togrul Asgarov and Sharif Sharifov from the men's freestyle events.

The minister said that they expect new medals from athletes competing in canoe, kayak and triathlete Rostislav Pevtsov.

“Fighting in kayak and canoe competitions is carried by sprint. Here much depends on the athlete. Fortune also plays a big role. We have a chance to win a medal. Pevtsov is a very interesting athlete. On the first Baku European Games in 2015 we did not expect such a high result from him. Despite he was at the preparatory stage, he managed to win the bronze medal. Olympics is a competition rich with surprises,” Rahimov said.

The a major international event will take place in Brazilian Rio de Janeiro from August 5 to August 21. More than 10,500 athletes from 206 National Olympic Committees are expected to join this big sporting event.

Azerbaijan has secured qualifications in wrestling, gymnastics, rowing, boxing, taekwondo, athletics, weightlifter, Paralympics sports and more.

National boxer Teymur Mammadov may become the country’s flag-bearer at the Rio 2016.

Rahimov stressed that this can happen in case of Mammadov’s victory in 1/4 final at the forthcoming World qualifier in Baku and winning a license to the Olympic Games.

"Otherwise, the National Olympic Committee will make the final decision regarding the flag-bearer,” he noted.

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

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