Azerbaijani judo team to test its strength at Grand Prix Upper Austria

Azerbaijani judo team will test its strength at the Grand Prix Upper Austria on May 25-27.

More than 450 judokas from 72 countries will take to the tatami in the tournament, Azernews reports.

Earlier, national judokas claimed three medals at the Jerusalem Masters 2022 in Israel.

Saeid Mollaei brought a silver medal for Azerbaijan, while Balabay Aghayev and Zelym Kotsoiev took bronze medals.

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.