GOLDEN GRAND PRIX MEDALS

The traditional Golden Grand Prix wrestling tournament commemorating Azerbaijan's national leader Heydar Aliyev has finished in Baku. In keeping with the Golden Grand Prix regulations, taking part in the event were medallists of three Grand Prix competitions held during the year. As a result, Baku hosted decorated wrestlers from a number of European countries. 

Azeri athletes won three gold, three silver and seven bronze medals at the freestyle wrestling competitions. Haci Aliyev (weight category 61 kg), Cabrayil Hasanov (74 kg) and Xetaq Qazyumov (97 kg) took gold for Azerbaijan's national team. Meanwhile Ahmadnabi Gvarzatilov (57 kg), Mahammad Muslimov (65 kg) and Emin Azizov (70 kg) lost their final matches winning silver medals. Yasar Aliyev, Mahmud Mammadov (both 57 kg), Agahuseyn Mustafayev (65 kg), Ruslan Dibirhaciyev, Hacimurad Omarov (both 70 kg), Aleksandr Gostiyev (86 kg) and Aslan Cabisov (125 kg) were honoured with bronze. The success of the freestyle wrestlers, especially those who placed first, in fact guarantees them places on Azerbaijan's national team for the upcoming world championship. 

As always, Mariya Stadnik (48 kg) and Yuliya Radkevich (60 kg) stood out among woman wrestlers. They won gold medals. Stadnik's success after maternity leave was the result of intensive training. Radkevich also proved being in stable shape. Regrettably, we saw no other representatives of the "weaker sex" among the tournament prize winners. 

Finally, Greco-Roman style wrestlers achieved good results. The "Greco-Romans" won four gold, three silver and three bronze medals. The gold winners are Taleh Mammadov (59 kg), Hasan Aliyev (66 kg), Rafiq Huseynov (75 kg) and Elvin Mursaliyev (80 kg). Rasul Cunayev (71 kg), Saman Tahmasibi (85 kg) and Sabah Shariati (130 kg) came off second best only in their final fights and gained silver. Kamran Mammadov (59 kg), Rustam Aliyev (71 kg) and Shalva Gadabadze (98 kg) won bronze medals. 

Altogether, Azerbaijan's wrestlers won 25 medals. Yet the coaches cannot but feel concerned about a number of decorated athletes losing at the early stage. For instance, Rovsan Bayramov, twice Europe champion and Summer Olympics prize winner, sensationally lost the very first fight to a Norwegian wrestler who had been no conjurer before. R.Bayramov's age should be taken into account though. He should have thought about rounding off his career after the last Olympics in 2012. It is also necessary to analyze the performance of Olympic prize winner Emin Ahmadov left without medals at the Gold Grand Prix. 

At the same time, it was a very nice surprise to see Taleh Mammadov win a gold medal. That win by a wrestler who had previously had success only at national championships, will give him a foothold in the national team. Elvin Mursaliyev and Rafiq Huseynov also won gold and regained the spotlight. 

In his interview to R+, Nenad Lalovic, president of the International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles (FILA) who was following the matches, spoke highly about the way the Gold Grand Prix was held. "This is the third most prestigious tournament after the World and the Europe Championships and it promotes to the development of wrestling," N.Lalovic said. 

He also said that holding Golden Grand Prix in summer creates problems for some countries' participation. For this reason, FILA and the Azerbaijan Wrestling Federation are considering the possibility of holding the tournament at some other time. It should not be ruled out that Golden Grand Prix may be held in spring or in autumn as from next year. 

He also said that no changes are expected in the system of drawing lots for matches at wrestling tournaments and he is not concerned that strong athletes may clash with one another at the early stages of the competitions. 

"Pairs are formed at the competitions by a computer drawing lots. There is no human interference in the draw process. This is a good thing for ensuring transparency. Of course, sometimes strong athletes have to wrestle with one another at the early stages but we are not going to change the system because of this. On the contrary, we advise that the national federations should use the same system," the FILA head said. 

According to him, the possibility is being discussed of holding club wrestling competitions which is actively practiced in other sports. 

"We are discussing the possibility of holding competitions among clubs, but there are still no plans to include such a tournament in the competitions calendar. Most work being currently done is related to holding the First European Games. It is a great success that wrestling has been included on the list of competitions of the European Games to be held in Baku next year. I believe that Azerbaijan will organize these Games at the highest level," the FILA head said.

AT FIRST HAND

"It is a great success that wrestling has been included on the list of competitions of the European Games to be held in Baku next year. I believe that Azerbaijan will organize these Games at the highest level," 

the FILA head said