Azerbaijan Republic National Assembly tomorrow organ, official state newspaper “Azerbaijan” prepared an article about preparations of Azerbaijan weightlifters to the IV Islamic Solidarity Games. We present it to you:
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Today, we will start the IV Islamic Solidarity Games, one of the biggest sports events in the world. Within 10 days, more than 3 thousand athletes from 54 muslim states will compete in 22 kinds of sports. But this sporting event is not only an arena of confrontation, as indicated by the name, and all will be an important step towards solidarity and unity of the muslim world. More than 300 Azerbaijan athletes will compete in Islamiada. Our athletes have started training for a long time . We have the chance to win medals in almost every kind of sport. In particular, there are great hopes to our weightlifting team.
There are historical traditions of weightlifting in Azerbaijan. Over the last year or so, our weightlifters’ achievements in the competition show that these traditions will be getting stronger and stronger. Since last summer, Azerbaijan Weightlifting Federation launched major reforms. New and promising athletes were involved with the team under the guidance of head coach Tofig Heydarov. In addition, after the changes in the management of Weightlifting Federation and the election of new vice- presidents, are obvious. Finally, the spectacular success in Thailand and the results of the Azerbaijan Championship inform the victories in our national team’s perspective. Our weightlifters seriously prepared for IV Islamic Solidarity Games. Because after the reforms, they will get on the platform in this important sporting event. On the other hand, we are hosters. Therefore, for a time, our athletes have begun training with the special program.
8 women and 8 men athletes will compete in the IV Islamic Solidarity Games. Women athletes are Marziyya Maharramova (48 kg), Sabina Azimova, Gulchin Alizade (both 53 kg), Firuza İbrahimova (58 kg), Elnura Abbasova (63 kg), Anastasia İbrahimli, Fidan Huseynzade (both 69 kg) və Fidan Abdurrahmanova (+90 kg). Men athletes: Elmar Alıyev (56 kg), Allahyar Abıshov (62 kg), Afgan Bayramov (77 kg), Jeyhun Taghızade, Kamran İsmayılov (both 85 kg), Rovshan Fatullayev, Nailkhan Nabiyev (both 94 kg) və Azer Mammadli (+105 kg).
Recently we watched our athletes’ trainings. Tofig Heydarov, the head coach of the National team and also the Vice President of the Azerbaijan Weightlifting Federation, shared his views on the preparations: “Regardless of status, every sporting event is important. Because the number one task of athlete is to achieve results, in every competition. Because the desired result is both the success of athlete and the state she\he represents and the sports club. Islamic Solidarity Games are of exceptional importance for us.
Because if we could compete with several Muslim athletes in the Summer Olympic Games, but in Islamiada, we will have the competitors only representing Islamic world. Of course, it is important for us and a very pleasant phenomenon”.
Mr. Heydarov also said that since last year, Weightlifting team has begun to completely form. “We have a lot of success in the history of Azerbaijan weightlifting. In the last one year, the achievements we got, encourage us even more. We are expecting more spectacular achievements in the future. You know that recently there were major changes in the composition of the national team and the Federation. The development of this kind of sports was dedicated to more professional people. Today, our goal is to completely prevent the use of doping. We signed a contract with coaches and athletes. If any athlete is faced with such a situation, he is expecting great punishment.
We also benefit from the work of newly created Anti-Doping Agency. In weightlifting, it is possible to win medal without doping. For this, sportsmen must work hard on themselves. If we want to succeed, we must choose the most powerful young athletes. Beginning last year, one of the main goal of both Federation President Jahangir Askerov, the other vice-presidents -Azer Aliyev, me and also who are responsible for the development of weightlifting , are to involve potential local athletes and ultimately glorify the reputation of the Azerbaijani Weightlifting”.
Weightlifting is a specific type of sports. Special speed and flexibility are required here. Of course, first of all, athletes should be physically strong. After that, it is necessary to perform other sports movements. The athlete must first pass the weightlifting school. That’s why the “Zirve” lyceum is operating under the auspices of the Federation. The teenagers who have potential, are involved to lyceum from different regions by sport experts. This process has already proved itself in practice.
While we were at the basis of National team, our observations shown that athletes are seriously prepared for the Islamiada. The federation provided all conditions to conduct the training process at a high level. Just remains to win a medal! Our athletes declared their certainty that they would successfully complete the Islamic Solidarity Games and would increase both the reputation of our country and Azerbaijan weightlifting. In general, the main goal of National weightlifting team is to win at least 5 medals in the IV Islamic Solidarity Games.
