AN "OLD MAN" IS BETTER THAN SEVEN YOUNG ONES

The gold medal of the World Judo Champion-ship, won by Elxan Mammadov in Brazil the other day, is inscribed in the history of Azerbaijani sports - this is the first gold in the history of Azerbaijani judo wrestlers at the world championships. The national team, which was represented by eight athletes at the world championship, won one gold and one bronze medal, but that was enough for Azerbaijan to take 7th place in the team events.

This result became the first success of the new head coach Peter Seisenbacher, who took charge of the Azerbaijani national team in 2012 after the resignation of Agayar Axundzada because of the judo wrestlers' fiasco at the Olympic Games in London (the team returned with no medals then).

For about a year, Azerbaijani wrestlers did not achieve much success in various tournaments. Although they won several medals at the European Championships and World Grand Prix, it could not satisfy the leadership of the federation as the main indicators of success is medals of the world championship and Olympic Games. So the answer to the question of how rational is the work of Seisenbacher in the team has to be given at the World Cup in Brazil.

The fact that Orxan Safarov won a bronze medal on the first day of the competition came as a surprise to many. After all, the main striking force in the weight category of 60 kg was Ilqar Muskiyev. Nonetheless, with his confident performance Orxan repeated last year's success at the youth championship.

In the absence of E. Mammadli, the coaches had difficulty predicting which of our athletes can be a medallist of the world championship. The event that delighted the whole of Azerbaijan happened on the last day of the competition - defeating all his opponents, Elxan Mammadov rose to the highest step of the podium! Thus, he wrote his name in the history of our sports as the first Azerbaijani to become a world champion in judo.

This experienced athlete played in the weight category of 90 kg for a long time. At the insistence of the head coach, he moved into the category of 100 kg. For some time they even stopped inviting him to the first team of the country, referring to age. He got on the list of athletes going to Rio de Janeiro at the last moment.

Having demonstrated composure and self-control, Elxan reached the final. His opponent in the decisive battle was the well-known Dutchman Henk Grol, who beat Elxan in the final of the World Masters tournament. But this time, the Azerbaijani judoka spent the entire fight at a high level, and becoming a world champion, he fulfilled our long-cherished dream.

The red carpet awaited Elxan at home. His father Abulfaz Mammadov said that seeing his son off to the championship, he believed that he would be a champion: "Seeing him off, I encouraged him to return as a champion. I am proud that I am the father of a world champion. For some time, Elxan was not invited to the national team - some did not believe in the 31-year-old athlete. They even said that his career was over. But my son proved that he has not said his last word yet. You can't be complacent after a successful performance at the World Cup. He has to win at the Summer Olympics in 2016 too. And after that, if he wishes, he may end his career."

After a conversation with the father of the world champion, R+ was able to talk with Elxan Mammadov who answered all of our questions.

- Going to Brazil, you believed in yourself. But your name was not on the list of favourites...

- Of course, I really wanted to be a world champion. In Azerbaijan, there was no world champion in judo. That's why I aimed to win only the gold medal. Of course, it was very difficult. I still feel tired. I can't even talk long. I want to reflect a bit and analyze my performance in the championship. It's not just my victory but the victory of our people and the success of the Judo Federation of Azerbaijan.

- The first fight was pretty difficult. At which point did you believe that you would become a champion?

- Yes, the first fight was very difficult. The opponent received a "yuko" twice. But in the end, I gained the victory. You know, although it was getting harder with each fight, my desire to win increased. In the final, I wrestled with a very experienced Dutch judoka. I was extremely careful from the first seconds. I thought that if reached this stage, the gold medal should be mine. Praise be to God, I became a champion.

- What does victory mean for the 31-year-old Elxan Mammadov?

- I achieved the greatest success in my career. My efforts were not in vain. Becoming a champion, I remembered all my way to the top. The victory makes you forget even about being tired. Now I must try to play well in the upcoming competitions. I think our national team played well. One gold and one bronze medal is a good result.

- What did the World Cup change in your life?

- I felt great pride when our national anthem was played. It is a huge honour to represent your homeland. And it is a double honour when you win. The title of world champion entails additional responsibility. Now rivals will prepare more seriously for a fight with the world champion.

- Did you expect such a warm welcome in Baku?

- At the airport, I felt like a champion. And at the end of the final fight, I could not hold back my tears. Only then did I realize that I was a world champion. Many thanks to all who welcomed me. We always welcome victorious athletes at the highest level. It is extremely gratifying to see such enthusiasm. And it also entails responsibility. These people will now expect new victories from me.

- How do you rate your chances to participate in the Summer Olympics of 2016?

 - At the Games in Beijing in 2008, my chances for a medal were higher. Then some began to say that Elxan does not know how to fight and stuff. Our team also performed poorly at the 2012 Olympic Games in London. We had a streak of bad luck. With this victory, I showed what I was capable of. I would like to win a gold medal at the World Cup next year. My dream is to become a winner of the European Games in 2015 and the Summer Olympic Games in Brazil.

- Usually big successes lead to the star disease. Are you not afraid to "fall sick"?

- My family knows that Elxan will never change. The main task of an athlete is to successfully perform at an event. At 31, Allah gave me the joy of becoming a world champion. Now I have to continue the winning streak. Next year the next World Cup will be held. I would like to succeed in the world championship again.

- Can you link your success with the training process of head coach Peter Seisenbacher?

- Of course. Peter Seisenbacher guided me. He taught me to work even better. But we must note Agayar Axundzada who invited me to the team. He contributed to my victory too. I must also mention the leadership of our federation, which created perfect conditions for training. Before the championship, we made a lot of trips. Training meetings with strong teams have borne fruit.

- Who do you dedicate your victory to?

- This is a victory of Azerbaijan! I know that, despite the late hour, everybody watched the final battle. This victory belongs to all our people who supported me.