"I am participating in my first training camp in seven months."
This was stated by Gultaj Mammadaliyeva (52 kg), a judoka for the Azerbaijani national team, in an interview with Idman.biz.
Mammadaliyeva, who is currently attending a training camp in Nymburk, Czech Republic, evaluated her preparation: "I had surgery on my shoulder after the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics. I haven’t fully recovered yet. Since the rehabilitation process is still ongoing, I can’t wrestle the way I want to. Returning to the mat after seven months is a bit challenging. But experience speaks for itself, and I am trying to use it as much as I can. I’m wrestling head-to-head with my opponents in the camp."
Mammadaliyeva also shared that she plans to compete in tournaments starting in April: "We have many upcoming competitions. Since the lineup hasn't been announced yet, I’m not sure if I’ll be competing in the European Championship. However, I will participate in the open European Championship on April 4th and 5th in Duvornik, Croatia. It's tough to start with major competitions after a break, so I plan to participate in smaller tournaments first. The coaches made this decision, and I agree with them. I will do my best to bring a medal back to my homeland from the upcoming competitions."
19 members of our national teams (9 men and 10 women) are involved in the preparation process. The Olympic Training Camp will conclude on March 17.
Aytaj Sahed
Idman.biz
