Nihad Mammadov believes his recent entry into the Guinness World Records will help increase interest in table tennis across Azerbaijan.
Speaking to Report.az, Mammadov said he hopes his achievement will inspire greater attention towards the sport in the country.
“I think records exist to be broken. This result may be improved in the future. Competition in sport brings development. But right now I am happy to have achieved this result, and I believe this record will further increase interest in table tennis in Azerbaijan.”
The Azerbaijani athlete added that the official confirmation of the record was a proud and unforgettable moment in his career.
“Behind this success are long training sessions, discipline and a lot of hard work. Representing Azerbaijan at the level of the Guinness World Records is a special feeling for me,” he said.
Mammadov also revealed that he is now focused on improving his performances on the international stage while helping motivate young athletes in Azerbaijan.
“My main goal for the near future is to improve my own results even more and successfully represent Azerbaijan internationally. I also want to increase interest in this sport and motivate young people,” the player added.
Earlier this year, the member of Azerbaijan’s national table tennis team broke the world record for the longest-distance table tennis serve during a ceremony held at the Shuа Sports Complex. Under the supervision of representatives from the Ministry of Youth and Sports, the Azerbaijan Table Tennis Federation and international referee Zaur Mikayilov, Mammadov successfully completed a serve from a distance of 18.20 metres.
The previous world record of 17.50 metres belonged to Turkish athlete Osman Gurju.
