Rafiq Huseynov: “The road to the Olympic Games starts with these youngsters”

April 7, 2026

An open training session of the U17 Greco-Roman wrestling national team has been held.

The training process, which took place at the wrestling hall of the Tofiq Bahramov Republican Stadium, was observed live by the personal coaches of the national team members and federation officials.

During the session, conducted under the leadership of head coach Rafiq Huseynov and coaches Kamran Mammadov, Zohrab Abbasov, and Mushvig Mammadov, greater emphasis was placed on tactical and technical drills. Personal coaches noted the usefulness of such open training sessions and expressed their hope that this practice will become a tradition in the future.

R. Huseynov commented on the course of the training camp, the open session, and upcoming goals:
“We held a 10-day training camp in Uzbekistan. It was an important preparation ahead of the ‘Zafar Cup’ tournament. The Uzbekistan national team is considered one of the most distinguished teams in the world in the U17 age category. Their squad includes several wrestlers who are world and Asian champions. Therefore, holding a training camp there was essential for us. We are now working on the mistakes we identified during that preparation process. The team is in optimal condition. I hope we will see the results of these trainings at the tournament in Turkey.

The purpose of organizing an open training session is to allow personal coaches to observe the level of preparation of their athletes. During training camps, we sometimes give the wrestlers 4–5 days of rest so they can spend time with their personal coaches and work on their shortcomings. When the work in clubs and sports societies is carried out at a high level, it also makes the job of the national team coaches easier. This way, we are able to identify and develop talented athletes. The road to the Olympic Games starts with these youngsters. We hope to see the results from these athletes at the Olympic Games to be held in 2032, as well as in the following years. The leadership of the Wrestling Federation attended our training. They provide strong support both in terms of equipment and financially. Overall, everything is at a high level. This support will serve as a driving force for us to perform successfully in future competitions.”

It should be noted that the “Zafar Cup” will be held on April 12–14 in Antalya, Turkey.