A SOLID CHAMPION

Azerbaijan cannot boast many athletes who have achieved several victories at major competitions, each year attaining new heights. We have become accustomed to athletes shining in one or two competitions and then losing their appetite for winning, not training as hard as they used to and eventually sliding downhill. But none of this applies to our country's celebrated paralympic judo athlete Ilham Zakiyev.

This twice winner at the Paralympic Games, twice world champion and five-times European champion also won the World Cup recently.

Zakiyev has been practising judo since he was 15 and has always been successful. After winning an urban tournament in Sumqayit, he was then among the winners of the Azerbaijani youth judo championship and also became republican sambo champion.

Zakiyev's future was dealt a major blow while he was on army service. In February 1999 he was wounded by an Armenian sniper while on a combat mission. A bullet struck Zakiyev in the head and he spent five days in a coma. When he finally came round Ilham completely lost his sight and became a group-1 disabled person.

Zakiyev himself says that losing his eyesight at the age of 19 was a big blow. But his family and close friends helped him at that difficult time. His return to big-time sport would then have seemed something of a miracle but Zakiyev nevertheless submitted a request to the Ministry of Youth and Sport about the possibility of training and appearing for his country. He was offered the chance to perform for the national paralympic judo team. Zakiyev accepted the offer and won various competitions on a number of occasions.

Zakiyev recently added to his collection the World Judo Cup, which he won in Eger, Hungary. In the +100kg category he beat the Russian representative in the semi-final and in the final he triumphed over the Japanese, Kento Masaki, the London paralympic winner. Another Azerbaijani judoist, Ramil Qasimov, also triumphed in the -73kg category at this tournament. And Sabina Abdullayeva won a silver medal in the -57kg category.

Zakiyev spoke to R+ about the competition in Hungary: "Because of my high rating I was given a bye in the first stage of the competition. In the second stage I beat the Iranian by ippon. I also beat the Russian judoist Aleksandr Parasyuk by ippon in the semi-final. In the final I faced Paralympic Games winner Kento Masaki. I had thought long about getting my revenge after I lost to him in the final in London. I also lost to him in the quarter-final at the world championship last year because of biased judging. In that bout I should have been given a wazari point for an action but the judges only gave me a yoko. Then I was given a warning. So the final in Hungary was crucial. By beating him here I took my revenge for the world championship. And I'll get my revenge for the Paralympics in Brazil next year."

He said that you have to work all the time to achieve success in sport. "My career is my work. I love sport. It has given me a new life and the chance to compete. Whenever I lose I think about where I went wrong. Even when I am winning I don't let up because your opponent is always thinking of revenge. So each time I try to train as hard as possible," Zakiyev said.

He also commented on the lack of success of other athletes after one outstanding victory. "It's hard for me to speak about other athletes. Perhaps they have a lot of work, but my work is sport. I was sad when Elnur Mammadli gave up his judo career. He is very gifted. Many people don't know that he has serious problems with his knee-caps. He has had several operations but he still had to give up his career."

Zakiyev said he plans to win at the first European Games coming up in Baku.

"The World Games will be held in Seoul in May. I might give them a miss. My main aim is to prepare for the European Games in Baku. I want to win the top award in my own country. Ten of the very top athletes in Europe will be taking part in the games. Sabina Abdullayeva will also be representing Azerbaijan along with me at the European Games. I am confident that this prestigious competition will be held to the highest standards. And we, the athletes, will make our fans and the state happy if we win," Zakiyev said.

He is not thinking yet about giving up his career and he regards victory at the Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro in 2016 as his main task. After his last victory Zakiyev climbed to second place in the top judo ratings which leaves no doubt that he will get his ticket for the Paralympics.