Tokyo 2020: Some 36 paralympians to represent Azerbaijan

By Azernews

By Laman Ismayilova

The 16th Summer Paralympic Games will be held in Tokyo from August 24 to September 5.

Some 36 paralympians will represent Azerbaijan in 6 sport competitions at the Tokyo 2020 Summer Paralympic Games.

Samir Nabiyev, Elvin Astanov,Olokhan Musayev, Said Najafzadeh, Kamil Aliyev, Orkhan Aslanov, Elena Chebanu, Elmir Jabrayilov, Yulia Yanovskaya, Lamia Veliyeva, Hamid Heydarli and Orkhan Gasimov will compete for the medals in athletics.

The judo team includes Shahana Hajiyeva (-48 kg), Besti Safarova (-52kg), Sevda Veliyeva (-57 kg), Khanum Huseynova (-63 kg), Dursadaf Karimova (+70 kg), Vugar Shirinli (-60 kg), Namig Abasli (-66 kg), Ramil Gasimov (-73 kg), Huseyn Rahimli (-81 kg), Kanan Abdullahanli (-100 kg), Ilham Zakiyev (+100 kg).

Some 4 taekwondo fighters will represent Azerbaijan in Tokyo: Royala Fataliyeva (-49 kg), Aynur Mammadova (+58 kg), Imameddin Khalilov (-61 kg), Abulfaz Abuzarli (-75 kg), while the swimming team includes Raman Saleh, Veli Israfilov and Dana Shandibina.

In the powerlifting, Azerbaijan will be represented by Parvin Mamedov (-49 kg), Nurlan Babadjanov (-97 kg), Elshan Huseynov (-107 kg) and Shamo Aslanov (+107 kg).

The shooting team includes Elena Taranova and Kamran Zeynalov.

This competition will be the seventh for the Azerbaijani Paralympic Movement, which  made its debut at the 1996 Summer Paralympics in Atlanta.

So far, national paralympians have won 38 medals at the Paralympic Games - 9 gold, 18 silver and 11 bronze.

The 2020 Summer Paralympics are an upcoming major international multi-sport event for athletes with disabilities governed by the International Paralympic Committee. 

Formerly scheduled to take place in 2020, the Summer Paralympics was postponed amid coronavirus pandemic. 

This year marks the second time Tokyo has hosted the Paralympics, as they were first hosted there in 1964 alongside the 1964 Summer Olympics.

These Games will see the introduction of badminton and taekwondo to the Paralympic programme, replacing sailing and 7-a-side football.

Meanwhile, Azerbaijani athletes have won seven medals at the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympic Games.

Karate fighters Rafael Aghayev (75 kg), Irina Zaretska (+61 kg) and freestyle wrestler Haji Aliyev (65 kg)  enriched the country's medal haul with silver medals.

The bronze medals came from judoka Irina Kindzerska (+78 kg), boxer Alfonso Domínguez (81 kg), Greco-Roman wrester Rafig Huseynov (77 kg) and wrestler Maria Stadnik (50 kg).

US team won the overall medal standings with 39 gold, 41 silver and 33 bronze medals. Chinese team became second, while Japan ranked third. 

Some 44 athletes represented Azerbaijan at the Summer Olympics held from July 23 to August 8.

Nine judokas, seven wrestlers, five athletes in rhythmic gymnastics group performances, one athlete in individual all-around competitions, five boxers, three karate fighters, two athletes, two swimmers, two taekwondo fighters, two athletes in artistic gymnastics, one sport shooter, one road cycler, one fencer, one badminton player, one triathlete and one trap shooter competed for the victory in Japan.

National judoka Rustam Orujov and taekwondo fighter Farida Azizova became standard-bearers for Azerbaijan.

They were accompanied by a delegation of 24 people, along with the chief de-mission of the national team and the sports manager of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Farid Mansurov.

The 2020 Games featured competitions including 3x3 basketball, freestyle BMX, and madison cycling, as well as further mixed events.

Karate, sport climbing, surfing, and skateboarding were added to the Olympic Games program.

Dropped from the Olympics after the 2008 Beijing Games baseball and softball returned to the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.