YOUNG PEOPLE ARE GIVING US HOPE

The Azerbaijani wrestling team has been successful at the Junior European Wrestling Championships in the Polish town of Katowice, winning eight medals of which four were gold, two silver and two bronze.

Free-style wrestlers were the first to fight at the championships. After defeating all his opponents, Nurmahammad Haciyev (84 kg) won a gold medal, and Murad Suleymanov (66 kg) won a silver medal. The team took fifth place in team points.

Nurmahammad Haciyev's performance is worthy of every praise. On the path to winning the gold medal, this folk-tale-like strong man demonstrated his brilliant technique and staying power to continue the fight. There can be no doubt that this young sportsman will be a member of the country's main team in the future. Not just happy to have reached the finals, having displayed persistence and resoluteness in the decisive fight. Nurmahammad got on well with all the competitors in the continent's championship.

As far as Murad Suleymanov's defeat in the finals is concerned that was because he did not pay sufficient attention and made mistakes, which cost him the first place.

The members of the women's junior team returned to their motherland with one silver and two bronze medals. Elmira Qambarova (63 kg) became a silver medallist, only losing in the finals, while Turkan Nasirova (44 kg) and Ragnetta Qurbanzada (67 kg) won gold medals. Our girls also took fifth place in the team score.

The Greco-Roman style wrestlers won three gold medals. After defeating all their opponents, Ibrahim Nurullayev (50 kg), Murad Mammadov (55 kg) and Islam Abbasov (84 kg) had stepped onto the top of the pedestal. The team took third place in the team score after Russia and Georgia with 45 points. 

As always it was our country's Greco-Roman-style wrestlers who were most successful. Whereas the victories of Murad Mammadov and Islam Abbasov were expected, Ibrahim Nurrullayev surprised his coach in the best sense of the word. On his way to the finals, he defeated three strong opponents, thereby showing that he was worthy of the gold medal. The coaches' correct selection for the European championships was an important factor in the wrestlers' success. Staking not on the famous, but on sportsmen who were in good form ultimately justified itself.

In analysing the fighters' performance the championships, the team's senior coach of the Azerbaijan team, Shaban Donat, did on the whole express satisfaction with the results achieved: "At the preparation stage for the championships, the management of the [Azerbaijan Wrestling] federation created maximally favourable conditions for the team. At every competition we try to justify the hopes placed in us. It was a very serious tournament. There are no weak contenders at the European championships. We feel pleased that our strongest rival, the Russian team, did not manage to win a single gold medal, while we won three. Naturally, we could have won more medals. Some of our wrestlers lost their bouts because of errors and some ended up without medals because of unfair referees. The World Championships lie ahead. We will try and raise the Azerbaijani colours there too.

European champion Islam Abbasov noted that the final bout was the most tense: "Before the final I defeated all my opponents quite calmly. In the semi-finals I came up against a Polish wrestler and, in spite of the fact that he had the home fans behind him, I won with a good score. The final bout was very demanding. I defeated a wrestler from Germany on points. I am glad that I have become a champion, that the flag of my motherland has been raised and Azerbaijan's national anthem has been played. I shall try to repeat this success at the forthcoming World Championships. We train extra intensively before each tournament. I am grateful to the federation for the splendid facilities that it has created for us." 

The results achieved by the young wrestlers at the European Championships allow us to look to the future with optimism. Next year this team may have the opportunity to take part in the First European Games in Baku. Besides, the winners in the championship will get the chance to join the main team. The federation should not be worried about recruiting worthy new wrestlers who are preparing to make a career in sport for themselves. The talented sportsmen in the junior team will ensure that there is plenty of competition for places in the main team.

After a week's rest, the team will start training again. In August the members of the team are scheduled to take part in a number of international competitions.