YOUTH SHOWING PROMISE

Generational change often has a negative impact on the performance of teams in sports. Even the teams showing amazing results must be joined by younger athletes over time, but incoming young people do not always show the same good results. This, however, does not hold true in respect of the Azerbaijani wrestling and judo teams. There is a very promising generation of young people, which has been confirmed by the recent European championships in these sports.

In the continental wrestling championship among juniors held in Bar, Montenegro, Azerbaijani athletes have achieved impressive results. In such competitions teams usually provide a chance to the most promising athletes. This European championship featured more athletes than the previous tournament, which underlines the importance of competition.

The Azerbaijani team was represented by 10 athletes in all weight classes at the wrestling tournament, and won 8 gold medals.

Thus, on the first day of the competition Mahammadali Aliyev (under 58 kg), Nurmahammad Haciyev (85 kg) and Abdulmuslim Muhuddinov (69 kg) overcame their opponents without any problems and won gold medals. M. Aliyev and N. Hajiyev beat Turkish athletes in the final, while A. Muhuddinov proved stronger than an Armenian wrestler. In fact, the Azerbaijani athlete used a 5-point trick in the final, which gave him a clear victory in just 15 seconds. Another junior Mahir Amiraslanov (50 kg) won a bronze medal.

On the second day of the championship, "gold" was won by Teymur Mammadov (63 kg), who defeated opponents from Slovakia, Romania, Armenia, Turkey and Russia. Fazil Hasanov (46 kg), Vurgun Aliyev (54 kg) and Samil Sadullayev (76 kg), stumbled on the way to the final battle, but were able to come together and win the bronze medal in the consolation fights.

In general, the Azerbaijan junior freestyle wrestling team won four gold and four bronze medals, becoming the champion of Europe in overall standings.

The head coach of the team, Asgarxan Novruzov, was pleased with the performance of his athloetes and said that these young people had a good chance of becoming the back-up of the main team.

"The European championship in Montenegro will be remembered by tough competition with many strong teams represented. Wrestling is developing around the world, particularly in Europe, which further enhances the importance of our victory. The team lives up to expectations. I think many of its members will advance progress to the youth team. We have a systemic approach to the training of athletes, who should eventually replace their older colleagues," A. Novruzov said.

The success of freestyle wrestlers was continued by those of the Greco-Roman style, where Azerbaijani junior team won two gold, two silver and two bronze medals. Gold medals were was won by Soslan Fanziyev and Sanan Alimirzayev, silver by Islam Abbasov and Mikail Rahmanov, and bronze by Seymur Huseynov and Niyazi Mammadov.

In team standings the Azerbaijani Greco-Roman wrestling team finished second, losing only to sportsmen from Russia.

Unfortunately, this success was not backed up by the women's junior team. Of four representatives of the "weaker sex" only Turkan Nasirova won the bronze medal, while others left the championship without winning anything. Young female athletes could not produce a good result due to a lack of experience, and this problem still remains unresolved in women's wrestling. As wresters grow older, many refuse to fight because of the difficulties involved and abandon the sport in general or switch to other sports. After the championship in Montenegro some of the girls will be screened. So far only T. Nasirova seems to be showing promise, while the rest may wind up giving up the sport altogether.

In general, Azerbaijani juniors won 15 European Championship medals, including six gold, two silver and seven bronze ones. If we analyze the performance of juniors over the past four years, we can trace the development of the team despite the change of generations.

For example, Azerbaijani juniors won 14 medals (six gold, three silver and five bronze) at the European Championships in 2010. In 2011, the Azerbaijani team won 18 medals (seven gold, four silver and seven bronze). In fact, freestyle wrestlers finished first and Greco-Roman wrestlers second in the overall standings. But that "golden generation" moved mainly into the youth team next year, which to some extent affected the performance of the junior team in the 2012 European championship in Poland. Last year Azerbaijani wrestlers also won 18 medals, but three of them were gold, nine silver and six bronze.

The successful performance of the team this year confirms that the work in the national team is carried out in the right direction - wrestlers have become European champions in team standings again, while the Greco-Roman team finished second for the second time in three years.  

The Azerbaijani judokas have also been successful. The Azerbaijani junior team became the European champion in team standings at the continental championship held in Tallinn.

The team has won two gold, one silver and three bronze medals. Hidayat Orucov (60 kg) and Leyla Aliyeva (40 kg) won gold medals of the European Championship, Ilkin Babazada (55 kg) won bronze and Natig Qurbanli (50 kg), Rufat Tagizada (55 kg) and Elnur Ahmadli (66 kg) won bronze.

Many of the judokas will move into the youth team before the end of the year, while some we join the main Azerbaijani national team in world championships and Olympic Games in a few years.