The achievement of our judokas in Paris is worthy of applause

Watching judo competitions live, witnessing the exciting moments of the struggle on the tatami, gives a special pleasure to fans of this one-on-one combat sport. And if the athlete who is fighting is your compatriot and fights with selflessness with his opponents and wins, there is no limit to your joy.

As a veteran athlete who watched the “Grand Slam” judo tournament that ended on February 8 in the French capital, Paris, directly at the “Accor Arena” where the competitions were held, and who happily cheered on each member of the Azerbaijani team, I repeatedly felt a sense of joy and pride.

The “Grand Slam” (“Grand Slam”) is one of the highest-level tournaments on the calendar of the International Judo Federation. The Azerbaijan Judo Federation was represented by a team of 8 people in this first major competition of the year. Although several of our highly titled athletes were not included in the team, our well-known judokas joined the fight on the Paris tatami. All of them fought with determination. But sometimes desire and determination are not enough for victory. Luck is also an important factor in sports.

In any case, the results of this year’s first “Grand Slam” are worth considering as successful for us. Balabey Agayev (60 kg) won the gold medal, Zelim Tchkayev (81 kg) won the silver medal, and Ruslan Pashayev (66 kg) won the bronze medal, once again demonstrating the power of the Azerbaijani judo school.

The traditional Paris tatami of the “Grand Slam” is an indispensable place for both young talents to shine and experienced masters to confirm their status. This time, the Japanese showed their dominance in this type of combat and became the first in the team standings. It was natural that the French were second in the “owner of the field” status. After these giants, the fact that the Azerbaijani team secured third place is an achievement worthy of praise.

I sincerely congratulate our medalists, their coaches, and the Azerbaijani judo family in general for their successful results! May our victories be many!

Azer Askerov