BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 27. Azerbaijani judoka Zelim Kotsoiev has clinched a silver medal at the European Judo Championships in Podgorica, the capital of Montenegro, Trend reports.
Competing in the -100 kg weight division, Kotsoiev faced Georgia's Ilia Sulamanidze in the final showdown.
Despite having defeated Sulamanidze in their crucial encounter at the "Paris 2024" Summer Olympic Games, Kotsoiev was overcome this time, ultimately securing the second-place finish.
Meanwhile, fellow Azerbaijani judoka Ushangi Kokauri (+100 kg) is set to battle Germany's Erik Abramov for a bronze medal.
In the women's competition, Nigar Suleymanova (+78 kg) was unfortunately defeated by Georgia's Sofia Somkhishvili in her opening match.
Earlier in the championships, Ahmad Yusifov (-60 kg), Rashid Mammadaliyev (-73 kg), Zelim Tckaev (-81 kg), and Murad Fatiyev (-90 kg) each earned a bronze medal for Azerbaijan.
Notably, Azerbaijan has fielded a team of 15 judokas (9 men and 6 women) across 12 weight categories at the European Championships. The national squad will also participate in the mixed team event.