Idman.biz
Only two weeks remain until the start of the Judo World Championship. The tournament will kick off in Budapest on June 13. Azerbaijan's national team has already determined the squad that will participate in the competition. Hidayat Heydarov and Zelim Kotsoiev will try to defend the titles they won last year. However, medal hopes are not limited to just these two Olympic champions.
Idman.biz reports that the team will travel to the Hungarian capital with its strongest lineup.
Among them are several judokas who distinguished themselves at the European Championships in Podgorica. Ahmad Yusifov (60 kg), Rashid Mammadaliyev (73 kg), and Zelim Tckaev (81 kg), who won bronze medals at this tournament, are included in the World Championship squad. For Kotsoiev, the tournament in Montenegro was his first official competition since the Olympics, and he won a silver medal, showing that he is still in good form after his victory in Paris.
Of the Podgorica medalists, only Murad Fatiev (81 kg) was not included in the Budapest squad. This is due to an injury he sustained at the European Championships, which has kept him out of the World Championships.
The team, of course, travels to Budapest with great hopes. Last year, Hidayat and Zelim caused a great sensation in Abu Dhabi, and now it is a natural expectation that they will defend their titles. The main question is what form they will be in this time.
Hidayat Heydarov has not competed on the tatami since the Paris Summer Olympics. He also missed the European Championships due to illness and is now returning to the tatami. But by winning the European, World, and Olympic championships last year, he proved that nothing is impossible for him. Therefore, the Budapest tournament is a new source of motivation for Heydarov.
Zelim Kotsoiev also stated that he enjoyed returning to the tatami after winning silver at the European Championships. Zelim is in good form, and winning his second world championship is his main goal this season. It should be noted that he has won medals in the last three world championships in a row – bronze in Tashkent in 2022, bronze in Doha in 2023, and gold in Abu Dhabi in 2024.
But medal hopes are not limited to just the leaders of the team. We have medal chances in all weight categories. For example, Zelim Tckaev is also considered one of the main favorites in the 81 kg weight category. The four-time Grand Slam winner won a medal at the European Championships for the first time last month, and this clearly shows his next goal.
Eljan Hajiyev (90 kg), who won the Grand Slam tournament in Astana after returning from injury, is also ready to compete for a medal. Our athlete, who was the European champion last year, is already a familiar face on the world stage, and this will be his third world championship.
Ahmad Yusifov (60 kg), Ruslan Pashayev (66 kg), Rashid Mammadaliyev (73 kg), Vugar Talibov (90 kg), and Ushangi Kokauri (+100 kg) are also traveling to Budapest in good spirits. They are already recognized internationally and are capable of surprising results. The main thing here is how the fight goes.
This world championship could also be an important stage for the women's team. Leyla Aliyeva, Konul Aliyeva (48 kg), Gultaj Mammadaliyeva (52 kg), and Fidan Alizade (57 kg) will compete in Budapest. They have shown their potential in various tournaments, but it is more difficult to stand out at the World Championships. So, there is a reason to move forward.
This world championship is, in fact, the beginning of a new Olympic cycle, so the competition will be more interesting and unpredictable. In particular, the new rules introduced this season will be tested for the first time in Budapest. The International Judo Federation will then officially approve these rules on the road to Los Angeles 2028.
In short, fans will be treated to a week of top-level judo in the very near future. Azerbaijani athletes are once again aiming to be at the forefront.
Zaki Feyzullayev
Idman.biz
