The National Judo Federation of Azerbaijan is known for their decorative and outstanding elite team. However, of recent, they are extending their interest across different routes, such as inclusive judo and kata development. To wrap up the year, between 26-29 December 2023 at the National Judo Centre in Baku, a kata seminar was held under the leadership of IJF Academy expert and Head of EJU Kata commission Dr. Slavisa BRADIC. He expressed his experience in the capital;
The seminar was attended by 65 national coaches who were also preparing for the IJF Academy by learning Nage-no-kata. The kata team of Azerbaijan improved their previous knowledge of Nage-no-kata and Katame-no-kata and for the first time they learned about Kodokan-goshin-jutsu, and for the first time in the history of Azerbaijan judo, a Kime-no-kata demonstration was held. A short presentation of judging methods in Kata competitions was also part of the program.
My assessment is that the coaches are extremely motivated to learn kata while the kata team made great progress improving and learning new kata. With this kind of organization and support of the National Judo Federation of Azerbaijan, even greater progress can be expected. It is also planned to hold the Children Kata Festival soon, which will have a positive effect on the popularisation of this segment of judo, as well as on the quality of the Azerbaijan Judo Federation itself.
The Secretary General of the National Judo Federation of Azerbaijan, Mr. Rashad RASULLU also expressed his thoughts;
Despite Azerbaijani athletes consistently attaining high achievements on the international stage, fundamental aspects of judo, such as kata, have regrettably been overlooked.
I am pleased to observe that in recent years, significant strides have been made, thanks to our collaboration with the IJF Academy. Notable accomplishments have been achieved in the development of this crucial aspect within our judo community. We extend our sincere gratitude to Slavisa Bradic, the esteemed head of the EJU Kata commission, for his invaluable contributions to this initiative.
Our appreciation also goes to the European Judo Union (EJU) and the IJF Academy for their unwavering support and continual cooperation. This partnership plays a pivotal role in promoting the growth and development of judo in Azerbaijan, marking positive changes in our approach to the comprehensive development of judo. Together, we anticipate achieving new milestones and further elevating judo in our country to international standards.
Author: Szandra Szogedi