TEN HOPES OF THE EUROPEAN FESTIVAL

The 18th European Youth Olympic Festival (Skopje 2025), co-hosted by North Macedonia and Croatia, concluded in Skopje. Over the course of a week, more than 4,000 athletes from 50 European countries competed in 15 sports.

In the Top 20 of team standings

Azerbaijan’s team included 52 athletes (28 males and 24 females) competing in 10 sports. Our athletes finished the competition with a total of 10 medals (3 gold, 3 silver, and 4 bronze).

The gold medals for Azerbaijan were won by judokas Gulshan Huseynova (under 44 kg), Rza Khalili (under 50 kg), and Rasul Alizade (under 55 kg). Silver medals were earned by Nurana Hajiyeva (under 48 kg) and Zeyd Alaskarov (under 60 kg)—both in judo—as well as by the shooting duo Leyla Aliyeva and Oleg Kerzhankin (10m air pistol). Bronze medals went to judokas Aysun Mammadova (under 52 kg), Mehdi Aghakishiyev (under 73 kg), Subhan Akhundov (over 90 kg), and taekwondo athlete Yunis Huseynov (73 kg).

With this result, Azerbaijan ranked seventeenth in the overall team medal count. The festival was topped by Italy with 50 medals (19 gold, 19 silver, and 12 bronze). France took second place (15; 18; 5), Spain finished third (10; 11; 12), Türkiye came fourth with 26 medals (10; 7; 9), and Great Britain placed fifth (10; 7; 5). In total, athletes from 40 countries earned medals of various kinds, while gold medals were awarded to competitors from 35 nations.

Judo as the flagship of success

At the previous festival, Azerbaijan’s team won nine medals (3; 2; 4). Compared to that, this year’s performance can be considered satisfactory, especially when accounting for the quality of the medals. Judo rightfully deserves the highest praise. In recent years, Azerbaijani judo has shown significant progress among both youth and senior categories. This time, eight of the ten medals were won by judokas, confirming the sport’s stability and high level of preparation in the country.

Gulshan Huseynova, Rza Khalili, and Rasul Alizade won all their matches to claim gold and stand atop the podium. Huseynova’s performance was especially highly praised by the coaching staff. The issue of a shortage of female athletes in judo is gradually being resolved. Unlike other disciplines, girls are actively interested in this sport. In this context, Huseynova’s gold medal holds special significance. Should she continue to perform successfully in 2025, she will have a chance to prove herself at the senior level.

Rasul Alizade also merits attention. He previously won gold at the European Youth Championship, which was also held in North Macedonia. The Azerbaijan Judo Federation already calls him a future star. His confidence on the tatami, flexibility, and technical skill distinguish him among his peers. If he manages to avoid injuries, he could achieve great success in the future.

The same can be said about Zeyd Alaskarov. Despite losing in the final, he showed himself to be a talented athlete. After winning the European Youth Championship, his silver medal at the Olympic Festival also deserves praise.

Cause for concern

In recent years, Azerbaijani taekwondo has experienced a decline. The early retirement of decorated athletes gave opportunities to young competitors who unfortunately did not seize them.

Taekwondo successes have been limited mostly to the Summer Olympic Games in Paris, where Gasim Magomedov’s silver was recognised as a serious achievement. The insufficient preparedness of juniors and youth remains a topic of serious discussion. At the festival in North Macedonia, taekwondo was remembered only for one bronze medal earned by Yunis Huseynov for the team.

The European Youth Olympic Festival is held every two years under the auspices of European Olympic Committees. In 2019, Azerbaijan hosted the festival. The event’s goal is to support talented young athletes on their development path while promoting Olympic values from an early age.