Azerbaijani wrestlers learn first opponents at world championships

Azerbaijan’s wrestlers have learned their first opponents at the world championships, which begin tomorrow in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan. Greco-Roman wrestlers will take to the mats on the opening day.

According to the draw, four of the 10 members of Azerbaijan’s team will skip the preliminary round. Eldaniz Azizli (55 kg), Hasrat Jafarov (67 kg), Ulvi Ganizada (72 kg) and Gurban Gurbanov (82 kg) will enter the competition in the next round.

The other six wrestlers will compete in their opening bouts. In the 60 kg category, Murad Mammadov will face Turkey’s Enes Basar, while Nihat Mammadli will meet U.S. wrestler Xavier Johnson in the 63 kg category.

Sanana Suleymanov’s (77 kg) opponent is Japan’s Isami Horikita, while Islam Abbasov (87 kg) will face Turkey’s Eli Cengiz.

In the 97 kg category, Murad Ahmadiev will take on South Korea’s Jeon Bin Kwon, while Sarkhan Mammadov will face Brazil’s Guilherme Evangelista Dias in the 130 kg category.