National judo team departs for Slovakia to compete in European Championship

The Azerbaijani athletes participating in European Junior Judo Championships have departed for Bratislava, Slovakia.

Thee flight carrying the national team took off from Heydar Aliyev International Airport.

Azerbaijan will be represented by 13 athletes (9 boys and 4 girls) across 10 weight categories in the individual competitions. The team will also participate in the mixed team event on the final day of the tournament.

The continental championship, which will take place from September 4 to 7, will feature 374 athletes (207 boys and 167 girls) from 42 countries.

A total of 374 judokas (207 men and 176 women) from 42 nations are expected to participate in the European Junior Judo Championships 2025.

Founded in 1972, the Azerbaijan Judo Federation actively promotes this martial art across the country. Since 2015, the Federation has been led by Rovnag Abdullayev.

The country's modern judo history was laid by Mehman Azizov, who won a silver medal at the Old World Championship in 1998.

A year later, the winner of the World Youth Games in Moscow, Rasul Salimov, grabbed the bronze medal at the European Championship in Slovakia. Another national judoka, Elchin Ismayilov, became the European champion in 2000 in Wroclaw.

However, the achievements of Azerbaijani judo fighters did not stop there. Elnur Mammadli was named the best in the 73 kg division at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

The list of the country's top judo fighters includes Rustam Orujov, Irina Kindzerskaya, Mammadali Mehdiyev, Elmar Gasimov, Hidayat Heydarov, Zelim Kotsoev, Ushangi Kokauri, and Nijat Shikhalizada.

At the Paris 2024 Summer Olympic Games, judokas Hidayat Heydarov (73 kg) and Zelym Kotsoiev (100 kg) earned gold medals for Azerbaijan.