Azerbaijani judoka Rashid Mammadaliyev (-73 kg), who won the Budapest Grand Slam last weekend, has broken into the top five of the world rankings.
As reported by İdman.biz, the International Judo Federation (IJF) has published its updated world rankings following the Grand Slam tournament in the Hungarian capital.
Azerbaijani judokas won one gold and two bronze medals in Budapest. Rashid Mammadaliyev (-73 kg) claimed gold, while Vusal Galandarzade (-81 kg) and Jamal Gamzatkhanov (+100 kg) secured bronze medals.
Following his triumph in Hungary, Mammadaliyev has moved up two places and now occupies fifth position with 3,814 points. He is only 36 points behind Russia's Daniil Lavrentev, who sits fourth.
Paris 2024 Olympic champion Hidayat Heydarov, despite recently trying to establish himself in the -81 kg category, remains in the -73 kg rankings, where he is 16th with 1,936 points.
Heydarov is also ranked in the -81 kg division, occupying 108th place with 360 points. With the Olympic qualification race gaining momentum, the Azerbaijani judoka faces a significant challenge in climbing towards the leading positions in his new weight category. Heydarov missed the Budapest Grand Slam due to injury.
Among Azerbaijan's leading judokas in the -81 kg division, Zelim Tckaev remains the highest-ranked with 3,762 points, sitting third in the world. Omar Rajabli is sixth with 2,552 points.
Budapest bronze medallist Vusal Galandarzade made one of the biggest jumps among the Azerbaijani athletes, climbing nine places to 18th with 2,144 points.
Another medal winner in Hungary, Jamal Gamzatkhanov, moved up two positions in the +100 kg category and is now 11th with 2,955 points. Ushangi Kokauri is third with 3,731 points after dropping from second place, while Kanan Nasibov remains seventh with 3,340 points.
Meanwhile, Balabay Aghayev continues to top the world rankings in the -60 kg category with 4,620 points. Ahmad Yusifov is fifth in the same division with 3,425 points.
In the -66 kg category, Ruslan Pashayev is the highest-ranked Azerbaijani judoka, sitting fourth with 3,430 points.
Murad Fatiyev leads Azerbaijan's representatives in the -90 kg division, occupying third place with 3,500 points.
In the -100 kg category, Olympic champion Zelim Kotsoiev is 11th with 3,020 points.
