Azerbaijani judokas have secured four medals at the Grand Prix
Upper Austria 2026, AzerNEWS reports.
Jamal Gamzatkhanov (+100 kg) claimed the bronze medal, Ruslan
Pashayev (66 kg) won gold, Vusal Galandarzade (81 kg) took silver,
and Omar Rajabli (81 kg) earned bronze.
With a total of 1 gold, 1 silver, and 2 bronze medals, the
Azerbaijani team ranked third overall among 59 countries and first
in the men’s competition.
The 2026 Grand Prix Upper Austria, held in Linz, featured 479
judokas.
Founded in 1972, the Azerbaijan Judo Federation actively
promotes this martial art worldwide.
The President of the Azerbaijan Judo Federation is Rashad
Nabiyev, who also serves as the Minister of Digital Development and
Transportation.
The country’s modern judo history was laid by Mehman Azizov, who
won a silver medal at the Old World Championship in 1998.
A year later, the winner of the World Youth Games in Moscow,
Rasul Salimov, grabbed the bronze medal at the European
Championship in Slovakia. Another national judoka, Elchin
Ismayilov, became the European champion in 2000 in Wroclaw.
However, the achievements of Azerbaijani judo fighters did not
stop there. Elnur Mammadli was named the best at the 2008 Beijing
Olympics in the 73 kg division.
The list of the country’s top judo fighters includes Rustam
Orujov, Irina Kindzerskaya, Mammadali Mehdiyev, Elmar Gasimov,
Hidayat Heydarov, Zelim Kotsoev, Ushangi Kokauri, and Nijat
Shikhalizada.