The World Judo Championships, which begin in Baku tomorrow, are expected to be among the best editions of the event ever held.
International Judo Federation (IJF) Secretary General Lisa Allan expressed this view in an exclusive comment to İdman.Biz.
"It is great to be back in Azerbaijan. We are always happy to come here. There are very strong sporting traditions and a very rich history of judo here, and it is always a pleasure to visit the beautiful city of Baku," Allan said.
"As for our expectations for the competition, I think this will be one of the best World Championships we have ever held."
The IJF Secretary General also praised the organisation of the tournament and the work carried out by the Azerbaijan Judo Federation.
"The President of the Azerbaijan Judo Federation, Rashad Nabiyev, and his team are excellent organisers, so we are really looking forward to returning to the National Gymnastics Arena for the second senior World Judo Championships in Baku. We are receiving tremendous support from the judo community. Representatives of 93 different countries have arrived to compete, so we are expecting a really, really successful competition," she added.
Allan also shared her thoughts on the prospects of Azerbaijan's judokas at their home World Championships and commented on Olympic and world champion Hidayat Heydarov, who has experienced a challenging period in his career recently.
"I think it is very difficult for a high-level athlete to stay at the top all the time. You know, just like in life, things go up and down, up and down. But some athletes who have gone through a difficult period can come back to their previous level.
"And you know, this is judo: anyone can win. Two people compete against each other – one wins one time, the other wins the next. But I am confident that this will be a successful World Championships for Azerbaijan."
The World Judo Championships will be held at the National Gymnastics Arena in Baku from October 4 to 11.
