3 more Azerbaijani judokas will start competing today at the World Championships held in Budapest, the capital of Hungary. Sport24.az reports that on the third day of the competition, Fidan Alizade (57 kg), Olympic, world, and European champion Hidayat Heydarov, and Rashid Mammadaliyev (both 73 kg) will step onto the tatami.
Fidan Alizade will face Serbian Marija Perisic. Heydarov will face Otari Kvantidze representing Portugal. Rashid Mammadaliyev will wrestle the winner of the pair Kazbek Naguchev, who competes under the flag of the UAE, and Italian Giovanni Esposito. All three athletes will start the competition from the 1/16 final stage.
It should be noted that Azerbaijan is represented at the World Cup by 13 judokas (9 men, 4 women) in 10 weight categories in individual competitions. Our national team will also compete in the mixed team competition. Our judokas have not won any medals yet.