An official belt examination has been conducted at the National Judo Teams Training Center, organized by the Azerbaijan Judo Federation, Azernews reports.
A total of 250 judokas participated in the exams to earn belts ranging from white-yellow, yellow, orange, green, blue, to brown, across various age groups.
Those who successfully passed the examinations received their respective belts and certificates.
Holding official belt exams is highly significant for athletes to thoroughly master judo techniques and stay motivated.
These exams are crucial for evaluating and officially recognizing their skill levels, as well as enabling participation in prestigious domestic competitions in the future.
Founded in 1972, the Azerbaijan Judo Federation actively promotes this martial art across the country. Since 2015, the Federation has been led by Rovnag Abdullayev.
The country's modern judo history was laid by Mehman Azizov, who won a silver medal at the Old World Championship in 1998.
A year later, the winner of the World Youth Games in Moscow, Rasul Salimov, grabbed the bronze medal at the European Championship in Slovakia. Another national judoka, Elchin Ismayilov, became the European champion in 2000 in Wroclaw.
However, the achievements of Azerbaijani judo fighters did not stop there. Elnur Mammadli was named the best at the 2008 Beijing Olympics in the 73 kg division.
The list of the country's top judo fighters includes Rustam Orujov, Irina Kindzerskaya, Mammadali Mehdiyev, Elmar Gasimov, Hidayat Heydarov, Zelim Kotsoev, Ushangi Kokauri, and Nijat Shikhalizada.
At the Paris 2024 Summer Olympic Games, judokas Hidayat Heydarov (73 kg) and Zelym Kotsoiev (100 kg) earned gold medals for Azerbaijan.
