National table tennis team leaves for Finland

Azerbaijani table tennis players will participate in another international competition, Azernews reports.

A total of 12 members of the national team will show their skills at the Finland Open 2024 tournament.

Hilal Hasanov, Vazir Allahverdiyev, Nihad Mammadov, Rustam Hajili, Adil Ahmadzadeh, Onur Guluzadeh, Zemfira Mikayilova, Laman Abdulhamidova, Marziyya Nurmatova, Arzu Aslanova, Aylin Askerova and Yagmur Mammadli will participate in the tournament under the leadership of head coach Mikhail Timofeyev and coach Elnur Hidayatzadeh.

International-level referee Zaur Mikayilov will officiate the games of the competition, which will be held in two age groups. The Finland Open 2024 will end on December 8.

Over the past years, Azerbaijani table tennis players have made significant strides in table tennis.

In 2023, Azerbaijani table tennis player Onur Guluzade captured a silver medal at the 23rd international tournament in memory of Nikolay Nikitin, held in Saint Petersburg, Russia.

Also, the national female table tennis players brought home nine medals from the WTT Youth Contender held in Georgia.

Zemfira Mikayilova, Laman Abdulhamidova, Nigar Mahmudova, Khadija Abilzade, Marziyya Nurmatova, Aylin Asgarova, Arzu Aslanova, Aysu Aghayeva, Khadija Eylazova, and Yagmur Mammadli won two silvers and seven bronzes in the tournament.

Azerbaijani table tennis players also earned two medals at the Europe Youth Series tournament in 2024.

The team claimed the silver and bronze medals in the mixed doubles pairs event among U13 and U15 athletes, respectively.