First place in the medal table (4-2-2-), plus mixed team gold after a thrilling final duel with France. The Azerbaijan team set the tone for four days at the European Championships Juniors in Tallinn. The Azeri anthem became a perennial favourite. “That didn’t change on the fourth and final day of the competition.
“Mixed team gold was a crowning achievement for us. We knew it could get close, but we were the favourites,” beamed junior head coach Elkhan MAMMADOV after the award ceremony. “These four days in Tallinn couldn’t have gone any better for us. We believed in this ninth medal, our fifth in gold. Even when the -57 kg weight class was drawn for the deciding bout. We told Fidan (ALIZADA, she won the singles on Thursday, -57, editor’s note): You’re a true champion, you won’t loose a second time in a row!”
No sooner said than done! The final duel for the mixed European Junior Championship title lasted 8:19 minutes. In the end, Azerbaijan had the happy ending, with Fidan Alizada taking revenge on Alya De Carvalho for the defeat in the first fight. And the ninth medal, the fifth in gold, was a certainty.
“This generation reminds me of the one in Prague. Back then, Vusal (Galandarzade, -73) was also among the winners. His team-mate at the time, Eljan Hajiyev, was already in the Olympic team for Paris this year. I believe this generation can do the same for Los Angeles 2028. Three or four of them certainly have the potential for the Olympics, if not more,” believes Elkhan Mammadov.
What does he expect for the Junior World Championships in Dushanbe (TJK) in October? “It’s hard to say in judo. The competition is certainly even stronger and things can’t always go as perfectly as they did on these four days. But number one in the medal table is at least our declared goal for Dushanbe too.”
The self-confidence of his protégés could hardly be greater.
Author: EJU Media