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Azerbaijani judoka Rustam Orujov has finished his sports career.
"These years have been truly unforgettable and I am extremely proud to represent our people in prestigious arenas. However, every journey comes to an end. On August 8, I won an Olympic medal and I decided to say goodbye to sports. I sincerely thank everyone who has supported me over these years. Now it's time to open a new page in my life," the judoka said.
Rustam Orujov has achieved many achievements in his sports career. In addition to being the silver medalist of the 2016 Rio Summer Olympic Games, he won the title of European champion in the same year.
Nothing can be compared to the feeling of victory, when your dream finally comes true. However, the road to success is covered by thorns. And the story of national judoka is no exception.
Despite all challenges, Rustam Orujov found the strength to pull himself together and reach his goals.
"I think that my first bright victory is associated with a gold medal from the European Judo Championship 2016. Until that moment, I had never won any European or World medals. All my previous achievements include medals at Grand Prix and Grand Slam judo competitions. After that, I took second place at the Olympic Games. It was an unforgettable experience which seemed to me like a dream," Orujov said earlier in an interview with Azernews.
In 2017 and 2019, Rustam Orujov claimed 1 silver and 3 times bronze at the European Championships.
In different years, the judoka won a total of 26 medals in Grand Slam and Grand Prix competitions.