European Weightlifting Championship, among young weightlifters U-15 and U-17, held in Prishtina, the capital of Kosovo, on September 22-30, ended. 264 athletes (117 boys and 147 girls) from nearly 40 countries competed in that competition. Azerbaijan National team was also among the participants:
Girls (U-17): Sabina Azimova (53 kg), Boys (U-17): Elmaddin Huseynov (56 kg).
Boys (U-15): Elshan Mammadov (50 kg), Murad Aliev and Rustam Gasimov (56 kg), Nurlan Rasulov (62 kg), Ali Shukurlu (69 kg), Tarmenkhan Babaev (85 kg), Rehman Kazimov (+94 kg).
7 members of Azerbaijan Weightlifting Team joined the medal struggle of athletes U-15. Their snatch and clean and jerk movements, as well as the total number of medals won by them, were equal to 11. 6 of them were gold, 2 silver and 3 bronze medals. In snatch and in total, Elshan Mammadov was bronze medalist, in 50 kg weight category, Rustam Gasimov – gold medalist in snatch, clean and jerk and in total, in 56 kg weight category, Tarmenkhan Babaev-gold medalist in snatch, clean and jerk and in total, in 85 kg weight category, and Rehman Kazimov –silver medalist in snatch and in total, however in clean and jerk he won bronze medal.
Thus, Azerbaijan Weightlifting team consisting of young boys, was selected as the best team in the European Championship. In that ranking, Georgia was the 2nd ( 5 gold, 1 silver), the third was Italy ( 4 gold, 2 silver, 3 bronze). Armenia was the 4th ( 4 gold, 2 silver).
Additionally, the members of our national team were also remembered to renew the 7 European record. Rustam Gasimov renewed the European record in snatch, and Tarmenkhan Babaev also renewed that European record three times in clean and jerk, and three times in total. In this age group, national team was the 2nd after the Turkey. 7 athletes of our team had a total of 453 points. Champion Turkey got 516 points. The Italian national team had a total of 357 points.
In the struggle of athletes U-17, one boy and one girl athlete performed, but our results were successful. Sabina Azimova competed in 53 kg weight category among girls and was three-time European Champion. Despite the fact that our athlete is the only one, its result allowed our national team to take the 6th place in the girls’ struggle.
Meanwhile, Sabina Azimova, who is well-known for her performances, took the 2nd place among the strongest female athletes in the European Championship, according to the Sinclair table. The 260.7 points-ranked athlete, was left behind from Turkey athlete Levent Nuray (262.4 points), by a very small difference.
So, Azerbaijan Youth Weightlifting Team made a historic breakthrough in Kosovo. So far, our national team has not won the title of the best in any competition in Europe. This achievement is a result of the right and purposeful activity of the Azerbaijan Weightlifting Federation.
We are grateful to our athletes and their coaches, as well as everyone who has contributed to this great success, and congratulate all the sports and weightlifting fans in our country!
