The Azerbaijani national judo team has topped the overall medal standings at the Bielsko-Biala Millennium Team Cadet European Cup held in Poland, AzerNEWS reports.
On the last day of competition, the national team added five more medals to its tally, winning two silver and three bronze medals.
Sadig Mammadov (-73 kg) and Aykhan Hasanli (-81 kg) finished the tournament in second place, securing silver medals. Yusuf Nazar (-73 kg), Yagub Mammadov (-81 kg), and Nuraddin Aliyev (-90 kg) each claimed bronze medals.
On the first day of the competition, Ibrahim Talibov (-55 kg) and Konul Eyvazli (-48 kg) won gold medals, while Ilkin Garayev (-66 kg) and Zahra Guliyeva (-40 kg) earned silver medals. Nihad Agayev (-50 kg), Rza Khalilli (-55 kg), Mehman Asgarov (-60 kg), and Parvin Sevkhanli (-44 kg) secured bronze medals.
The Azerbaijani team finished the tournament with a total of two gold, four silver, and seven bronze medals, taking first place in the overall team standings.
The Bielsko-Biala Millennium Team Cadet European Cup is a premier event on the European Judo Union (EJU) and International Judo Federation (IJF) Cadet World Tour, typically drawing hundreds of young athletes from dozens of nations.
Around 57 judokas from 36 countries participated in the tournament.
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 Rustam Orujov, Irina Kindzerskaya, Mammadali Mehdiyev, Elmar Gasimov, Hidayat Heydarov, Zelim Kotsoev, Ushangi Kokauri, and Nijat Shikhalizada.
