National judokas claim three medals at European Junior Championships

Azerbaijani judokas have won three medals on the Day 1 of the European Championships Juniors (The Hague 2023).

Nizami Imranov claimed a gold medal for Azerbaijan in the 60kg weight class, Azernews reports.

Aydin Rzayev (66kg) took silver, while female judoka Aydan Valiyeva (52kg) grabbed a bronze medal.

The 2023 European Junior Judo Championships will run until September 10. The championships have brought together 366 judokas from 43 countries.

The final day of the competition will feature a mixed-team event.

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 at the Beijing Olympics 2008 in the 73 kg division.

The Beijing Olympics 2008 gave a fresh impetus to judo in Azerbaijan.

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