Azerbaijan's national beach wrestling team head coach Oyan Nazariani has praised his athletes following their impressive performance at the fourth Summer Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, Senegal, where they claimed two gold medals, one silver and first place in the team standings.
As reported by İdman.Biz, speaking at a welcoming ceremony at Heydar Aliyev International Airport, the coach described 2026 as a remarkable year for Azerbaijani beach wrestling.
"This year will be remembered for great achievements in beach wrestling. We concluded the final and most important competition of the year, the Summer Youth Olympic Games, with memorable results after a series of victories," Nazariani said.
"We won two gold medals and one silver at Dakar 2026, which allowed us to maintain our leading position in the team standings. I should also emphasize that we were superior to our opponents in every aspect. We arrived in Senegal fully prepared," he added.
The coach also highlighted the special significance of the competition coinciding with November 8, Azerbaijan's Victory Day.
"We wanted to achieve a worthy victory in honor of this important occasion. By winning two gold medals on Victory Day, we accomplished our goal. It was a source of immense pride for us," Nazariani stated.
Azerbaijan has secured three gold medals and one silver at Dakar 2026.
Judoka Ibrahim Talibov (55 kg) and beach wrestlers Tunar Guliyev (70 kg) and Elgun Karimli (90 kg) won gold medals, while Nihad Suleymanli (80 kg) claimed silver.
The results underline Azerbaijan's strong performance in combat sports at the Youth Olympic Games, with beach wrestling accounting for three of the country's four medals so far.
