"I will do everything I can to compete at the Los Angeles Olympics."
Dadash Dadashbayli, Azerbaijan's weightlifter in the 109 kg category, expressed these during an exclusive interview with Idman.biz.
The European Champion admitted that failing to secure a spot at the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics had a profound psychological impact on him:
"I gave it my all. You might ask, 'Why didn’t it happen?' My answer is simple: the coaches’ negligence and poor weight-class decisions cost me the qualification. That period was extremely tough. Standing one step away from the license and not making it is hard to accept. I was disappointed, upset, and perhaps searching for someone to blame—maybe even myself. I didn’t understand anything. Now, I’m slowly trying to recover.
During this challenging time, the words of support from Minister Farid Gayibov were a tremendous source of motivation. His trust in me inspired me to push harder. Since then, I don’t just look at sports with two eyes—I see it with twenty. I am proud to be an athlete in whom the Minister has such confidence, and I will do everything to live up to his expectations."
Dadashbayli dismissed concerns about his age for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics: "I’m currently 28 years old. By the time of the 2028 Summer Olympics, I’ll be 31. If Ruslan Nurudinov can break a world record at 34 in my weight class, why can’t I win a medal at 31? Yes, age can influence results, but in weightlifting, 31 is far from being past one’s prime."
In his year-end press conference, the Minister of Youth and Sports, Farid Gayibov, expressed his aspirations for weightlifting to shine at the Los Angeles Olympics and highlighted his strong belief in Dadash Dadashbayli’s potential.
Aytaj Sahed
Idman.biz
