OMM Redaksiyası
The judo world championships will begin on Sunday, October 4, at the National Gymnastics Arena. A total of 633 athletes from 96 countries are expected to compete in the individual events. Azerbaijan’s team includes 17 men and seven women.
Seven members of Azerbaijan’s national team are ranked among the top five in their weight categories. Balabay Aghayev tops the world rankings in the under-60kg division. Zalim Tchkaev, Murad Fataliyev and Ushangi Kokauri are third, Ruslan Pashayev is fourth, and Ahmad Yusifov and Rashid Mammadaliyev are fifth.
Strong competition in the men’s events
Among the main rivals for Aghayev and Yusifov in the under-60kg division are world champion Ryuju Nagayama and second-ranked Isaac Ashpiz. In the under-66kg category, Ruslan Pashayev will compete alongside world champion Takeshi Takeoka and two-time Olympic champion Hifumi Abe.
Paris Olympic champion Hidayat Heydarov and Rashid Mammadaliyev will be among the athletes to watch in the under-73kg category. Zalim Tchkaev, Omar Rajabli and Vusal Galandarzade will represent Azerbaijan in the under-81kg division. World No. 1 Timur Arbuzov will miss the competition because of an injury.
Rivals in other weight categories
In the under-90kg category, Murad Fataliyev, Eljan Hajiyev and Suleyman Shukurov will face rivals including world champion Sanshiro Murao and two-time Olympic champion Lasha Bekauri. In the under-100kg division, Olympic champion Zelim Kotsoiev will compete against world No. 1 Gennaro Pirelli. Azerbaijan’s heavyweight representatives will be Ushangi Kokauri, Kenan Nasibov and Jamal Gamzatkhanov; one of the leading favourites is world No. 1 Inal Tasoev.
The championships bring together elite judokas from around the world to compete across individual weight categories. Azerbaijan’s squad includes athletes ranked among the leading contenders, while also facing current world and Olympic champions in several divisions.
