Azerbaijani judo team leaves for France

Azerbaijani judo team will leave for France to compete at European Judo Championships Seniors Montpellier 2023.

The championships will take place in the city of Montpellier on November 3-5, Azernews reports.

The judo team includes judokas Balabey Agayev, Turan Bayramov (both - 60 kg), Yashar Najafov (66 kg), Hidayat Heydarov (73 kg), Saeid Mollaeii , Zelim Tskayev (both - 81 kg), Murad Fatiyev (90 kg), Zelim Kotsoev (100 kg) and Ushangi Kokauri (+100 kg) as well as Leyla Aliyeva (48 kg) and Gultaj Mammadaliyeva (52 kg).

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.