The recent success of Azerbaijani judo has become consistent rather than accidental, and behind every medal stands the work of an experienced coaching staff. One of the architects of these achievements is men’s national team senior coach Elkhan Mammadov, a man who went from world champion on the tatami to mentor of Olympic gold medallists.
Idman.Biz presents an interview with a legend of Azerbaijani judo.
He says little has changed in him over the last two decades apart from time and grey hair. His character and ambitions remain the same, only the target has shifted from winning himself to seeing his athletes win.
Mammadov is known as a calm and patient figure and confirms that emotional control has always been central to his personality. If a problem depends on him, he solves it calmly. If it does not, he waits calmly. In his words, emotions must never be allowed to dominate reason.
Asked about relations with former rivals, including Elmar Gasimov, he describes them as respectful and professional. Rivalry, he says, ends on the tatami and there is nothing to divide athletes in everyday life.
He cannot imagine himself in show business even for large money, calling it a world completely alien to him. If he could change judo rules, he would restore old scoring systems such as koka, not for spectacle but for efficiency and a return to tradition.
Mammadov rejects the idea that marriage necessarily harms results. According to him, everything depends on the athlete’s character and the partner’s support. A stable home environment improves performance, while conflict leads to decline. He jokes that his own career after marriage was affected only by injuries, not family life, and credits his wife’s support for helping him win the European title at 35.
Reflecting on Olympic disappointments in 2008 and 2012, he notes he lost to future champions Irakli Tsirekidze and Song Dae-nam. Now, as a coach, he focuses heavily on psychology. He recalls advice from Olympic champion Zemfira Meftakhetdinova that champions are those who believe in victory under any circumstances, a principle he used when preparing Zelim Kotsoiev after Tokyo.
Mammadov believes both Kotsoiev and Hidayat Heydarov have the potential to defend Olympic titles if they stay healthy. In his view, the difference between a champion and a legend lies in ambition, and he constantly pushes his athletes to aim for legendary status.
