A meeting was held with members of the Ministry of Emergency Situations (MES) team who achieved success by participating in the 16th World Shotokan Karate (WSF) Championship held in Istanbul for children, teenagers, adults, and veterans at the Sports and Health Club of the Ministry of Emergency Situations.
According to the information provided to “Elchi” by the Ministry, Fuzuli Musayev, head of the MES Sports and Health Club, vice-president of the Azerbaijan Karate Federation, and holder of an 8th-dan black belt, met with the winning athletes and their coaches, congratulated them, and wished them success in future competitions.
It was noted that 1,300 athletes from 19 different countries competed in various age categories, including individual, team, kata, and kumite events, during the three-day championship.
The members of the MES karate team for children, teenagers, and adults, led by coaches Rafael Mammadov, Akif Karimov, Javid Hamidov, Khayal Huseynov, Tural Alakbarli, and Murad Hajizada, managed to achieve high results. Among the girls in the kumite competitions, Azerin Najafova (18-21 years old) in the -55 kg weight class, Zeynab Ibrahimli (14-15 years old) in the -54 kg weight class, Fatima Salahli (12-13 years old) in the -43 kg weight class, and Nuray Ibadova (16-17 years old) in the +66 kg weight class defeated all their opponents and won gold medals. Another team member, Madina Jafarova (16-17 years old), was awarded a silver medal in the -53 kg weight class.
Furthermore, in the boys’ kumite competitions, Renat Mammadli (10-11 years old) in the -45 kg weight class, Akbar Ibrahimov (12-13 years old) in the -50 kg weight class, and Amin Gozalov (14-15 years old) in the -57 kg weight class won gold medals. Hasan Osmanov (16-17 years old) in the -51 kg weight class, Mahammad Mailli (12-13 years old) in the -50 kg weight class, Aziz Ahmadli (14-15 years old) in the -63 kg weight class, Mehdi Najafzada (12-13 years old) in the -40 kg weight class, Ramal Mammadli (10-11 years old) in the -40 kg weight class, Azer Hajizada (16-17 years old) in the -55 kg weight class, Khalil Gulamahmadli (10-11 years old) in the +45 kg weight class, Amil Hajiyev (18-21 years old) in the -67 kg weight class, and Javid Hajiyev (12-13 years old) in the -50 kg weight class managed to win bronze medals. In the team kumite competitions, Ahad Manafov, Javid Hajiyev, Nizami Aliyev, Azer Hajizada, Amin Gozalov, Renat Mammadli, and Khalil Gulamahmadli won gold medals.
In the individual kumite competitions among adults, Nijat Karimli won gold in the -75 kg weight class, and Khayal Mammadov won silver in the -84 kg weight class. In the adult free-style kumite competitions, Murad Hajizada, an employee of the MES Sports and Health Club and a First Lieutenant of the internal service, defeated all his opponents in the +84 kg weight class and climbed to the highest step of the podium. Other team members, Bakhtiyar Mammadov, won a silver medal, and Ilgar Alakbarov, an employee of the State Fire Protection Service of the MES and a Major of the internal service, won a bronze medal. Among the veterans, Rafael Mammadov managed to win a gold medal by defeating all his opponents.
The winners were presented with medals and diplomas established by the World Shotokan Karate Federation.
