OMM Newsroom
Nagi Babayev, personal coach of Ahmed Yusifov, who won gold at the world judo championships held in Baku, said he believes his athlete has the potential to win a medal at the Olympic Games. According to Azerisport, the 71-year-old coach noted that Yusifov competes in the 60-kilogram weight category.
Babayev said Ahmed competed at the European Championships despite a serious shoulder injury and won a bronze medal. The coach said the stronger athlete should go to the Olympics and wished both athletes success.
“Balabay Aghayev, who was the world leader in this weight category for a long time, is also our athlete. We are happy about his success, too. Whoever is stronger should go to the Olympics and make us proud with a medal,” Babayev said.
The experienced coach said he had worked with Yusifov since he was 10, and praised his personal qualities as well as his sporting achievements. Babayev said his athlete had always been modest and that he believed he would remain so.
He will resume work at the lyceum
Babayev said he was satisfied with Azerbaijan’s performance at the world championships and that the Azerbaijan Judo Federation’s work was producing results among both senior and youth athletes.
He emphasized the importance to Azerbaijani sport of the Republican Olympic Sports Lyceum, which has resumed operations after extensive renovation and reconstruction. He named Nazim Huseynov, Elnur Mammadli, Valeri Belenki, Kamandar Majidov, Ahmed Yusifov and Nijat Shikhalizade among the lyceum’s alumni. Babayev thanked director Hikmat Babayev and those who contributed to the lyceum’s restoration, saying its judo hall had been modernized to a high standard.
The coach also confirmed that he had been offered a position at the lyceum. Ahmed Yusifov won Azerbaijan’s only gold medal at the world championships held in Baku.
