National judo team heads to World Cadet Championships in Ecuador

Azerbaijan will be represented by 14 judokas at the 2026 World Cadet Judo Championships to be held in Guayaquil, Ecuador, from August 20 to 23, AzerNEWS reports.

The national team will compete in nine weight categories with a squad consisting of 10 boys and four girls.

The women's team includes Sunay Salamova and Zahra Guliyeva (40 kg), Parvin Sevkhanli (44 kg), and Konul Eyvazli (48 kg).

The men's team features Farid Rzazade (50 kg), Farid Khudiyev and Ibrahim Talibo (55 kg), Ilkin Garayev (66 kg), Yusuf Nazar and Sadiq Mammadov (73 kg), Aykhan Hasanli and Yagub Mammadov (81 kg), as well as Omar Akhundov and Nureddin Aliyev (90 kg).

The 2026 World Cadet Judo Championships will bring together 459 athletes from 61 countries, including 242 boys and 217 girls, who will compete for medals across the four-day tournament.

Azerbaijani judokas have established themselves among Europe's and the world's elite, consistently winning medals at the Olympic Games, World Championships, European Championships, and other major international competitions.

This success has been driven by the Azerbaijan Judo Federation, which has played a key role in developing the sport at all levels.

Founded in 1972, the Azerbaijan Judo Federation actively promotes this martial art worldwide.

The President of the Azerbaijan Judo Federation is Rashad Nabiyev, who also serves as the Minister of Digital Development and Transportation.

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 at the 2008 Beijing Olympics in the 73 kg division.

The list of the country's top judo fighters includes Hidayat Heydarov, Zelym Kotsoiev, Zelim Tckaev, Balabay Aghayev, Ushangi Kokauri, Gultaj Mammadaliyeva, Leyla Aliyeva, Fidan Alizade, Aisha Gurbanli, etc.