Idman.biz
The European Judo Union (EJU) has published an article about Olympic, world and European champion Hidayat Heydarov (73 kg) on the eve of the World Championships in Budapest.
Idman.biz reports that the Azerbaijani judoka stated that his motivation is still high.
Heydarov will compete again at the World Championships: "He is having a successful year. In 2024, he won a gold medal at the Paris Olympics, and also became the world and European champion. After these successes, he needed some rest."
The head coach of the Azerbaijani team, Rixard Trautman, said the following at the European Championships in Podgorica: "Our two Olympic champions had the opportunity to both celebrate their successes, fulfill their obligations to the federation, and take time for themselves. We started again in February, and frankly, we are not 100 percent ready yet, but this is not a problem. The main thing is to be fully prepared when fighting for big medals. This year I expect good results from the World Championship, but as a federation, our main goal is the World Championship in Baku in 2026."
Heydarov wanted to return from the European Championship, but he could not participate in the April competition because he was sick and had not fully recovered. Nevertheless, he came to Podgorica to receive the EJU's "Judoka of the Year 2024" award and stayed there to support his teammates: "I lost weight and came back after 10 months. It was difficult to start training again, but I want to win in the upcoming championships. My motivation is still high. I have already won all these titles, but I want to double the statistics."
Heydarov, who has become the face of judo in Azerbaijan as an Olympic champion,'s life has changed dramatically: "A lot has changed, but the most important thing is that I have become famous, I have gained a kind of fame. This is nice because I am a good example for the new generation."
Now, when he is on the street or in a restaurant, people approach him for autographs or pictures. Heydarov is not bothered by this attention.
The Olympic champion is once again fully focused on judo. In this regard, he wrote on his "Instagram" account: "For me, judo is not just a sport. It is my way of life and there is no looking back on this road - only forward."
Although it was difficult to return to daily training, his love for judo outweighed the appeal of a life without sports: "Compared to other sports, judo is the brightest. I love it because we are like a family. We all respect each other and each other's culture."
As the current Olympic and world champion, he has worked hard to be ready for the moment when he will step onto the tatami in the 73 kg weight category at the World Championships in Budapest.
Idman.biz
