Olympic judo champion Zelym Kotsoiev (100 kg) made a successful return to the tatami by winning a silver medal at the European Championships recently held in Podgorica, Montenegro. This was the Azerbaijani judoka’s first competition since his Olympic victory in Paris 2024, eight months ago.
In an exclusive interview with Idman.biz, Kotsoyev shared his impressions of the tournament and his future plans.
– This was your first competition since the Paris Olympics. Were you nervous?
– Honestly, I was very happy to be back — I just enjoyed myself. I could feel that I missed the emotions, the adrenaline, the competition. Naturally, I wasn’t in my best form — eight months off had its effect. But for a first step, this was normal. Of course, I wanted to win gold, but considering my current shape, the result was quite acceptable.
– What can you say about your first match?
– My first opponent from Cyprus wasn’t that strong. We fought for about one and a half to two minutes. But I felt sluggish, my arms were stiff. The break and weight cut definitely played a role, since I hadn’t done it in a long time. Already after the first match, I noticed all the shortcomings — lack of recent competition and the effects of cutting weight. But my mood was positive, so as the tournament went on, I started getting into shape.
– The final against Ilya Sulamanidze was probably the highlight of the tournament…
– Yes, he wanted to avenge his Olympic defeat, and I wasn’t planning to give in either. Now our overall head-to-head record is 3-3. He’s my fiercest rival on the tatami (laughs), though off the mat we get along well and respect each other. I was in control of the match, but at one point I tried a move, he countered, and ended up scoring a yuko. We reviewed the episode with the coaching staff and didn’t agree with the referees’ decision. That point completely disrupted our game plan.
– Maybe it’s better that he avenged his loss at the European Championships and not a bigger event?
– I don’t know. I don’t think about my opponents’ motivation. I go to competitions to win. This was the European Championship final, and I wanted gold. But it turned out this way — it’s okay. I was happy for Ilya; I hugged and congratulated him after the final.
– Was the European silver the last missing medal in your collection?
– Yes, I now have three bronzes, one gold, and finally a silver. My weight category is very competitive, and you always have to fight hard. To win gold, you have to be in top form. Apparently, I didn’t work hard enough somewhere, and I wasn’t at my peak.
– Azerbaijan’s head coach Richard Trautmann said after the tournament that there were controversial refereeing decisions in the semifinals of Zelim Tckaev and Murad Fatiyev. Do you agree?
– Absolutely. As for Tckaev, there was no proper scoring. I don’t know what episodes were reviewed or how, but from a judo perspective, there was no control. I didn’t see any reason to award points.
The same with Fatiyev. I didn’t see any illegal moves. With the current rules, a lot depends on the referees. To win without dispute, you need to lift and slam your opponent onto their back (laughs). But that’s not always possible, and the referees play a big role. In my opinion, there were clear refereeing mistakes.
– Just before the championship, it was announced that Hidayat Heydarov wouldn’t compete in Podgorica due to illness. How did you react?
– I was very upset. As soon as I heard, I called him. We had trained together, attended camps, supported each other. He left earlier since he was scheduled to compete on the first days. But as I understand, he started feeling unwell already on site. Now everything is fine, and I hope we’ll see him in top form at the World Championships.
– His replacement, Rashid Mammadaliyev, who learned just a day before that he’d compete, won bronze. That’s quite a result, isn’t it?
– Rashid deserves huge credit! He’s a very hardworking guy. I’m really glad Rashid was able to show quality judo. I also want to mention Ahmad Yusifov — this was his first senior European Championship medal.
Murad Fatiyev also showed a great performance — he’s incredibly tough mentally. He currently has a serious neck injury, and I hope he recovers soon.
Besides me, all the guys became European medalists for the first time. That shows our team is developing and new names are emerging. The federation is working in the right direction, and we’re grateful for the support we receive.
– Have you already started preparing for the World Championships?
– I was only in Baku for one day, then immediately went to Georgia for a training camp. There are about six weeks left until the World Championships. We won’t have any more competitions before then. There’s currently a tournament in Dushanbe, but those preparing for the Worlds are in training camp.
– Are you determined to get revenge on Sulamanidze in Budapest?
– I’ll do everything I can. I’ll aim to be in peak form at the tournament. There are no weak opponents at the World Championships — it’s tougher than the European Championships. There’s no room for mistakes, and I have to defend my title.
Idman.biz
