Azerbaijan’s national wrestling teams will compete at the Muhamet Malo ranking tournament in Tirana, Albania, as part of the international calendar’s second ranking event of the year, İdman.Biz reports.
The competition, scheduled to take place from 25 February to 1 March at the Olympic Park in Tirana, will feature both freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestlers representing Azerbaijan. Ranking tournaments play a key role in determining seedings for major championships, including world and continental events.
The freestyle squad will open the tournament under the guidance of head coach Khetag Gazumov, senior coach Jabrayil Hasanov and coach Sharif Sharifov. Azerbaijan will be represented by Islam Bazarganov (57kg), Rashid Babazada (65kg), Turan Bayramov and Kenan Heybatov (74kg), Jabrayil Hajiyev (79kg), Arseniy Djioyev (86kg), Magomedkhan Magomedov (97kg) and Giorgi Meshvildishvili (125kg).
In the closing days, the Greco-Roman team will take to the mat under head coach Mohammad Bana and coaches Rovshan Bayramov, Rasul Jazini and Sabah Shariati. Among those competing are Hikmat Hagverdiyev and Rashad Mammadov (55kg), Nihat Mammadli and Nihad Guluzade (60kg), Saket Guliyev, Ziya Babashov and Murad Mammadov (63kg), Mohammad Shukurzade (67kg), Ruslan Nurullayev (72kg), Davud Mammadov (77kg), Tuncay Vazirzade (82kg), Islam Abbasov and Lachin Valiyev (87kg), Murad Ahmadyev, Mohammad Ahmadyev and Arif Niftullayev (97kg), as well as Beka Kandelaki and Sarkhan Mammadov (130kg).
Daily bouts will begin at 13:30 Baku time, with medal matches scheduled for 21:00. International referee Asif Shiraliyev will officiate at the ranking event.
