2024 Year in review: Azerbaijani judo's triumphs and setbacks What the masters of the tatami have achieved 

It’s no exaggeration to say that 2024 has been the most successful year for domestic judo in the entire history of Azerbaijan’s independence. The numbers speak for themselves: Azerbaijani judokas clinched two gold medals at the year’s most prestigious tournaments—the European Championship, the World Championship, and the Olympic Games—something that has never been accomplished before.

This year also marked the end of an 11-year wait for a new World Champion in judo. Now, the name of the legendary Elkhan Mammadov (currently serving as the head coach of the U20 national team and one of the coaches of the senior national team) will no longer be followed by the word "only." Two of Azerbaijani judokas—Hidayat Heydarov (73 kg) and Zelim Kotsoyev (100 kg)—became World Champions. Notably, Kotsoyev’s victory was achieved with the direct involvement of Mammadov, who serves as his personal coach.

Judoka of the Year (male)

When it comes to Hidayat Heydarov, he can be called not only the best male judoka of Azerbaijan this year but undoubtedly one of the best in the world. Heydarov’s achievements—becoming European, World, and Olympic Champion in a single year—are unparalleled and can only be matched, not surpassed.

His only competition for this title was Zelim Kotsoyev, who had just one setback at the European Championship. However, Kotsoyev fully redeemed himself, becoming the Olympic Champion and finishing 2024 as the World Champion as well.

Judoka of the Year (female)

The undisputed winner of this category was 19-year-old Fidan Alizada (57 kg), who, within a few months, triumphed at both the U23 and junior European Championships. This remarkable achievement marks the first of its kind in the history of Azerbaijani judo.

Coach of the Year

At first glance, the clear favourite for this award seems to be Richard Trautmann, the head coach of the national team, under whose leadership the team has achieved unprecedented success.

However, since judo is an individual sport, the winner in this category is Elkhan Mammadov. In addition to being the head coach of the youth team, which also achieved remarkable results this year, Mammadov is the personal coach of Zelim Kotsoyev. Of course, we will long remember the sensational performance of the youth team at the European Championship in Tallinn. For these reasons, we have placed Mammadov's achievements above those of the German specialist.

Surprise of the Year

When it comes to this category, there is no competition—Zelim Kotsoyev, who unexpectedly became both World and Olympic Champion, and the youth national team, which claimed first place at the European Championship, not only in the team competition but also in the overall standings. Both of these achievements were a pleasant surprise for Azerbaijani judo fans and experts alike.

Return of the Year

In this category, there is also an indisputable winner—Elmar Gasimov (100 kg), who stands out due to his unique achievement. A silver medalist at the 2016 Olympic Games and a medalist at both the World and European Championships, Gasimov spent more than two years in the social media spotlight than on the judo mats.

However, upon his return to competition at the Azerbaijan Championship, Gasimov effortlessly defeated his opponents, winning his first tournament back with confidence. Unfortunately, his age (34 years), his complex character, and the presence of a clear favourite in his weight category (Zelim Kotsoyev) suggest that Gasimov’s success may remain a one-off achievement.

Loser of the Year

This was another category that required little thought. Balabay Agayev (60 kg) is undoubtedly a talented judoka, but this year, luck was simply not on his side. Just one step away from a potential stunning victory at the European Championship, Balabay seemed to "break down." That silver medal marked his last significant success. What followed were disappointments at the World Championship, the Olympic Games, and even at the national championship.

We hope that next year, the three-time Grand Slam winner and still one of the team’s leaders in the under-60 kg category will break this streak of bad luck.

Resignation of the Year

The winner of this category is the former head coach of the women's national judo team, Rashad Mammadov, whose contract was unexpectedly not extended by the federation’s leadership after it expired in November. While the women's team did not achieve significant results, it’s hard to claim that Rashad Mammadov was a bad coach or that the team consistently underperformed at every tournament. Moreover, the younger generation of female judokas is rising, and Mammadov was also responsible for their development. However, what’s done is done, and the federation’s leadership is still in search of a new head coach, most likely an international specialist.

Manager of the Year

The winner of this final category in judo is Rashad Rasulov, Executive Vice-President of the Azerbaijan Judo Federation. He played a significant role not only in the successful organization of the Grand Slam tournament in Baku but also in arranging excellent training for ALL domestic judo teams.

His contribution to the successful performance of the senior team at the European Championship, World Championship, and Olympic Games cannot be overstated—he was instrumental in solving a wide range of problems, both with the coaching staff and the judokas themselves. Therefore, he rightly deserves the title of Manager of the Year.

By Vugar Vugarli, for Caliber.Az