"Another month has become a historic success for our country. The talents and creativity of our youth, along with the energy and determination of our athletes, contributed to this achievement," stated Youth and Sports Minister Farid Gayibov, reflecting on October's successes.
Gayibov shared in "The Minister's Perspective" that Azerbaijan once again demonstrated its organizational excellence by hosting the European TeamGym Championship, as reported by Idman.biz.
"We witnessed memorable moments not only on the competition floor but also in the stands. Fans from Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Iceland, and the United Kingdom created an incredible atmosphere at the National Gymnastics Arena. This underscores the potential for sports marketing initiatives to engage fans and keep them in the stands with entertaining programs."
He highlighted that many foreign federation representatives who visited Azerbaijan for TeamGym were guests at the inaugural Mingachevir Regatta-2024 in Fuzuli. "Representatives of two different sports gathered in our beloved Qarabag, unified by sports," said Gayibov, expressing gratitude to the Azerbaijan Canoe and Rowing Federation for their efforts.
Minister Gayibov also recalled his recent meetings with international organization leaders, including Zehra Zumrud Selcuk, Director General of SESRIC; Abdulhalim Aksu, Secretary-General of the World Ethnosport Confederation; and Regula Meier, President of the International Ski Mountaineering Federation. Discussions covered potential areas of cooperation in sports. "We also had a meeting with Professor Irfan Gunduz and his delegation, where we discussed youth football development. The Turkish world champion Mesut Ozil’s visit to the 'Ulduz' Football Academy and Qarabag Football Club to motivate young players was especially inspiring."
Gayibov applauded Azerbaijan’s Greco-Roman wrestlers, who won three gold medals at the World Championship, and Eldaniz Azizli, who claimed his fourth world title. "For the first time, a female wrestler, Jala Aliyeva, became a world champion in the U23 category. Other notable successes include Imran Garayev’s gold in the ISSF Junior World Championship, Nikita Simonov’s win in the FIG World Cup in gymnastics, and Zelim Tckaev’s gold in the Grand Slam judo tournament," he said, underscoring October’s achievements.
He also recognized team sports, including Azerrail’s victory in the European Club Cup in beach volleyball and Mingachevir’s Kur handball team advancing to the third stage of the European Cup. "Our young national team made history by winning five medals in a single world championship for the first time."
Gayibov shared that the ministry’s new mobile "Healthy Life" initiative reached various regions this month, promoting a healthy lifestyle in the Ganja-Dashkasan and Gazakh-Tovuz regions. "In Guba, our 'Sports Capital,' we also organized European Sports Week. I believe these types of events play a vital role in developing sports in the regions."
"In essence, every achievement can be seen as a key to further growth. Setting the right goals and gaining experience are essential. The historical successes of our youth and athletes prove that we are on the right path, giving us confidence for the future," concluded Gayibov.
Idman.biz
