World Judo Day is celebrated worldwide today, October 28, marking the birthday of Jigoro Kano, the Japanese founder of judo. Established at the initiative of the International Judo Federation (IJF), the occasion highlights the sport's values and its role in bringing people together.
As reported by İdman.Biz, World Judo Day has been observed annually since 2011, promoting mutual respect, friendship, discipline and moral values through sport.
The theme for 2026 is "Belonging", emphasising judo's ability to unite people from different backgrounds and ensure that everyone feels part of the sporting community.
The occasion holds particular significance for Azerbaijan, which has established itself among the leading nations in international judo.
The country's Olympic success in the sport began at the 1992 Barcelona Games, where Nazim Huseynov claimed Azerbaijan's first Olympic judo gold medal. Sixteen years later, Elnur Mammadli repeated that achievement at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Another historic milestone came at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, where Hidayat Heydarov (73 kg) and Zelym Kotsoiev (100 kg) both secured gold medals. It marked the first time Azerbaijan had won two Olympic judo titles at a single Games.
Heydarov's achievement was particularly remarkable. In 2024, he completed an extraordinary treble by winning the European, World and Olympic titles in the same calendar year, placing himself among a select group of judokas to accomplish the feat.
Azerbaijani judo reached another historic milestone at the World Championships held in Baku from October 4 to 11, 2026.
Competing on home soil, the national team claimed seven individual medals – one gold, two silver and four bronze – setting a new national record for the highest number of medals won at a single World Championships.
Azerbaijan finished third in the overall medal standings, further strengthening its position among the world's leading judo nations.
The country's medallists at the 2026 World Championships were:
Gold: Ahmad Yusifov (60 kg).
Silver: Zelim Tchkayev (81 kg), Ushangi Kokauri (+100 kg).
Bronze: Rashid Mammadaliyev (73 kg), Omar Rajabli (81 kg), Murad Fatiyev (90 kg), Kenan Nasibov (+100 kg).
Yusifov made history by becoming Azerbaijan's first world champion in the men's 60 kg category.
Meanwhile, Omar Rajabli achieved a remarkable family milestone by matching the World Championship bronze medal won by his father, Elkhan Rajabli, in 2001 – exactly 25 years earlier.
These achievements reflect the continued development of Azerbaijani judo, which has produced Olympic champions, world title winners and a new generation of internationally competitive athletes.
Looking ahead, one of the Azerbaijan Judo Federation's main objectives is to prepare a strong national team for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles and build on the country's recent success at major international competitions.
As Azerbaijan celebrates World Judo Day, its athletes can look back on a remarkable period in the sport's history while setting their sights on further achievements on the Olympic and world stages.
