BRONZE MUNDIAL

The World Judo Championships took place in Budapest from June 13-21 - the first global tournament following the Paris Olympics. Azerbaijan's national team concluded the event with three bronze medals, earned by Zelim Tskayev (81 kg), Eljan Hajiyev (90 kg), and Zelim Kotsoyev (100 kg).

Last year, after winning two gold medals at both the Olympics and World Championships, Azerbaijan's team achieved its best historical result. This time, the outcome was more modest.

Shocking defeat

Since the Paris Olympics, Azerbaijan's judo team has consistently been among the favourites at major tournaments, raising expectations for each performance.

The biggest disappointment came from Hidayat Heydarov in the 73 kg category. The Olympic champion, who had won every possible title in 2024, unexpectedly lost his very first match, causing genuine shock. However, considering the athlete hadn't competed at major events for nearly 11 months, this outcome shouldn't be seen as entirely surprising. Nevertheless, the four-time European champion's defeat to young Portuguese judoka Otar Kvantidze became the tournament's sensation.

Most strikingly, the opponent demonstrated nothing extraordinary during the match, while Heydarov - the Olympic champion - resembled an inexperienced novice, essentially gifting the victory without a real fight. We hope necessary conclusions will be drawn from this defeat.

This championship failure should serve as a lesson for Hidayat. Regaining self-confidence is crucial. Heydarov must understand that no one is invincible - remaining champion requires constant victories on the tatami and continuous self-improvement. Social media comments like "you've already proven everything" only serve to relax the athlete.

Hard-earned medal

We must highlight the hard-fought bronze medal won by another Olympic champion - Zelim Kotsoyev. This marked his fourth World Championship medal, making him only the second Azerbaijani athlete (after Olympic shooting champion Zemfira Meftakhetdinova) to achieve multiple World Championship podiums.

Kotsoyev's determination deserves special mention: despite a controversial quarter-final loss to a Russian judoka, he persevered and rightfully earned his medal. Earlier this year, he also became European Championship silver medallist, demonstrating excellent form even post-Olympics.

Special recognition goes to young judo star Zelim Tskayev. The 26-year-old athlete brought Azerbaijan its first 81 kg World Championship medal in 24 years - since Farhad Rajabli's 2001 achievement.

Eljan Hajiyev's -90 kg bronze also commands respect, marking his first career medal at a senior World Championship and proving he deserves his spot on the national team.

Budapest disappointments

Among the most frustrating performances was Ushangi Kokauri's in the heavyweight division - a last-eight-second mistake cost him the bronze. Equally disappointing were the losses of Ahmad Yusifov and Vugar Talibov, who lost despite score advantages, succumbing to psychological pressure and exiting early.

Notably, in five of Budapest's seven male weight categories (excluding 60 kg and +100 kg), current Olympic champions competed - yet none won gold. Only Hifumi Abe (Japan, 66 kg) and Zelim Kotsoyev (100 kg) managed bronze.

Two-time Olympic champion Takanori Nagase (Japan, 81 kg) exited after his first match, while Lasha Bekauri (Georgia, 90 kg) lost his second. Among women, Olympic champions Beatriz Souza (Brazil, +78 kg) lost her second bout, while Alice Bellandi (Italy, 78 kg) took gold.

The three medals equal Azerbaijan's second-best World Championship result, matching Budapest 2017's two silvers and two bronzes. All current medals came from male athletes, repeating the record for most male medals.

Satisfactory results

Azerbaijan Judo Federation Executive Vice President Rashad Rasulov called the team's Hungary performance satisfactory:

"We finished with three bronzes. One athlete placed fifth, another seventh - these are good results. We matched our 2017 men's record. However, the championship revealed areas needing serious work, particularly last-second losses in matches we were winning. We'll implement changes in training to address this."

The Budapest event concluded with a flag-handover ceremony, as the International Judo Federation officially passed the flag to next host nation Azerbaijan. The flag was received by Azerbaijan Judo Federation Vice President, Olympic champion Elnur Mammadli.

The next World Judo Championships will be held in Baku from July 9-16, 2026 - becoming the Azerbaijani capital's second such tournament.