European Judo Union (EJU) has praised Azerbaijani judoka Hidayat Heydarov ahead of the upcoming European Championships in Podgorica, Montenegro, set to begin on April 23.
The EJU highlighted Heydarov’s dominance in the 73kg weight class, noting his current streak of three consecutive European titles, Idman.biz reports.
The portal emphasized his rise from under the shadow of Olympic silver medalist Rustam Orujov to global stardom under coach Elnur Mammadli.
"Day two will see a host of champions, European, World, and Olympic. Though there are those who have acquired all of the titles before him, including Lasha SHAVDATUASHVILI (GEO) in this weight category, Hidayat HEYDAROV of Azerbaijan was the first to collect the trinity in one year, three months in fact!
Heydarov found himself in the shadow of his teammate, Olympic silver medallist Rustam ORUJOV, for so long, but under the guidance of 2008 Olympic Champion, Elnur MAMMADLI, he has realised his dreams. However, this also means the expectation will always be gold, and he is now heading for his fifth European title. The world ranked #1 has been top of the podium for three consecutive years… can the Olympic Champion make it four?"
Idman.biz
