An interview with Azerbaijani junior judoka Zeyd Alasgarov, who won a bronze medal at the World Championship held in Sofia, Bulgaria.
– First of all, we’d like to hear your thoughts about the medal you achieved. What are your feelings?
– I am very happy. I defeated my first two opponents. Then I lost in the quarterfinals. Despite that, I didn’t get discouraged. I won in the repechage match and then defeated a Japanese judoka in the bronze medal bout.
– What was your goal when you came to the competition?
– I was ranked first in the world rankings. I came here with ambition. I wanted to win the gold medal. But it didn’t happen. That’s how fate turned out. I believe I will achieve even better results in the juniors’ category.
– What was the main reason for your loss in the quarterfinals? By the way, that athlete later won the gold medal.
– I made some mistakes. When I return to Baku, I will work on those mistakes together with our head coach Emin Isgandarov and coach Nijat Shikhalizada.
– What did you and the coaches discuss before the medal match?
– The coaches gave me their instructions. The most important thing was to grab the opponent’s left arm and throw from above. I did that and won.
– To whom do you dedicate this medal?
– First of all, I thank the Azerbaijan Judo Federation. I am grateful to the national team’s head coach Emin Isgandarov, coach Nijat Shikhalizada, and my personal coach Ilgar Mushkiyev. They have contributed a lot to me. I dedicate this medal to my family.
– You will no longer compete in the juniors’ category. What are your upcoming goals?
– In the juniors’ category, I may move up to 66 kg. I will focus on physical preparation. Tough training sessions are ahead. I will come back stronger. I will strive to become European and World champion among juniors.
– Every athlete has a dream regarding their career. What is yours?
– The first goal is to stay in the sport. I have no intention of leaving judo. If God wills, I dream of participating in the Summer Olympic Games in the future and returning home with a gold medal for my country.
Idman.biz
