SUCCESS 2023

The year 2023 was a successful year for the national sport. Azerbaijan hosted world and European championships, while the Azerbaijani athletes honourably defended the country's sporting reputation at various competitions. Let's recall the key achievements of our guys at international sports forums last year.

Wrestling

Azerbaijani wrestlers have once again confirmed that they are one of the strongest. They won a total of 76 medals at the world and European championships during the year: 12 gold, 13 silver and 20 bronze medals from European championships alone. At the World Cup, our wrestlers won 6 gold, 11 silver and 14 bronze medals.

The top result in the team classification was the first-ever victory of the Greco-Roman wrestling team at the world championship. At the competition held in Belgrade on 16-24 September, Azerbaijani athletes were qualified as the strongest team on the planet.

In 2023, they were awarded 3 licences for the 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris. They have another five months to increase this number.

Chess

This year will be remembered for successful chess performances as well. The women's chess team won the silver medal of the European Championship for the first time. At the World Cup in Baku, Nijat Abasov showed a high-class performance and reached the semi-finals. Ayan Allahverdiyeva won a gold medal at the World Cup among 18-year-olds. Govhar Beydullayeva and Muhammad Muradly became world champions in rapid and blitz among 20-year-olds, respectively. Beydullayeva also ranked the third in blitz.

Saadat Bashirli, Khazar Babazade, Riad Samadov, Mehriban Ahmedli, Mohammad Kazimzade, Hagan Ahmed, Rustam Rustamov, Ayan Allahverdiyeva and Mohammad Muradly were among the best, winning medals at the world and European junior championships.

Judo

In 2023, Azerbaijani judokas won historic and first victories at various prestigious competitions. The junior national team achieved good results at the European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF), European and world championships, as well as other prestigious tournaments and secured the status of the strongest junior judo team of the year. 103 medals were won in total: 37 gold, 22 silver and 44 bronze.

At EYOF, our judokas ranked as leaders in individual competitions as well as in the overall standings both in terms of the number and value of medals. For the first time in history, the women's national team of Azerbaijan ranked the first in the EYOF medal standings.

Azerbaijan's junior judo team also achieved a historic result at the European championship held in Odivelas, Portugal on June 22-24, winning 9 medals, including 6 gold and 3 bronze. This is the best result of the national team in terms of the number and value of medals at European championships.

At the World Junior Championship held in Zagreb, Croatia, the Azerbaijani national youth team won a gold medal for the first time in ten years.

Nihad Mamishov (50kg) and Khadija Gadashova (52kg) defeated all their rivals and climbed to the top of the podium.  Gadashova became the first female world champion in the history of Azerbaijani judo.

In addition, Vusal Galandarzade (73kg) won a gold medal at the World Youth Judo Championship in Odivelash. This is the first gold medal won at the World Youth Championship in the last five years.

Azerbaijani judokas managed to take two gold medals at the European Senior Championship in Montpellier, France thanks to the performances of Hidayat Heydarov (73kg) and Zelim Kotsoyev (100kg).

In general, Azerbaijani judokas won 237 medals in individual and team international competitions in all age groups last year: 74 gold, 53 silver and 110 bronze.

Gymnastics

The year 2023 was indeed yet another year of historical achievements for the Azerbaijan Gymnastics Federation. It was both rich of gymnastic competitions held in Azerbaijan and the accomplishments of our athletes.

The 39th European Rhythmic Gymnastics Championship was the most prestigious sporting event held in Baku. Azerbaijani athletes won 5 medals (1 gold, 4 bronze) in five days of the competition attended by 315 athletes from 38 countries. Adult group exercise team won the gold medal of the European championship for the first time in the history of national gymnastics. Another medal was brought to Azerbaijan by Zohra Aghamirova. She became the first Azerbaijani athlete to win a medal at the European championship as a graduate of the Baku Gymnastics School. Aghamirova also ranked the 12th in the individual all-around programme at the 40th World Championship held in Valencia, Spain and received a licence for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.

Young gymnasts deserve special mention. At the Baku European Rhythmic Gymnastics Championship, the youth team of Azerbaijan won two bronze medals. For the first time at the continental championship it was possible to win medals in two programmes simultaneously.

In October, at the 31st European Acrobatic Gymnastics Championship in Varna, Bulgaria, Azerbaijani representatives achieved a record result - 7 gold and 2 silver medals. For the first time in the history of Azerbaijani gymnastics, our athletes became European champions in mixed and men's pairs programme among the adult athletes. Yet, young athletes could also say their word with demonstrating skilful and confident performances.

The success of Azerbaijani athletes continued in November. At the 37th World Trampoline Gymnastics and Tumbling Championships in Birmingham, Mikhail Malkin won a gold medal in tumbling. Together with teammates Tofig Aliyev, Adil Hajizade, Elnur Mammadov, Malkin was the first in the team event to win the title of double world champion. This is our first gold medal in the team tumbling event.

Positives and negatives of football

The Azerbaijani national football team has once again failed. Therefore, the Association of Football Federations of Azerbaijan (AFFA) did not extend the contract with the Italian head coach Gianni De Biasi.

Meanwhile, FC Garabagh (Aghdam) wrote a new page in the history of Azerbaijani football in Europe. For the first time, Gurban Gurbanov's team got a licence to play in the 1/16 finals of the Europa League.

The best of the best

The Azerbaijan Ministry of Youth and Sports considers 2023 a successful year for local athletes. As always, the ministry announced the names of the best athletes. Gymnast Zohra Aghamirova and judoka Hidayat Heydarov were chosen the Best Athletes of the Year. Azerbaijan's football champion Garabagh is the Best Team of the Year. The team's coach, Gurban Gurbanov, was chosen the Best Coach of the Year. And the Azerbaijan Gymnastics Federation was announced the the Best Sports Federation of the Year.