Aykhan Javadov crowned World Champion!

August 22, 2025

The U20 World Wrestling Championships continue in Samokov, Bulgaria.

On the sixth day of competition, Aykhan Javadov (60 kg) ended Azerbaijan’s gold medal drought.

In the final, Javadov faced Armenia’s Yurik Mkhtaryan. Trailing 3-5 at the break, he showed great determination in the second period to secure a confident 12-5 victory. With this result, Javadov became Azerbaijan’s first world champion at this tournament. The Greco-Roman wrestler, who last year claimed both World and European titles in the U17 age group, has now repeated his success at the U20 level.

In other results, Elmin Aliyev (82 kg) lost to Uzbekistan’s Azimjon Soatullaev (0-8) in the repechage, while Zahra Karimzada (72 kg) was defeated by Russia’s U23 European champion Kristina Bratchikova by fall.

Overall, Azerbaijan’s medal tally at the World Championships has now reached six. Earlier, Ruzanna Mammadova (62 kg) claimed silver, while Gunay Gurbanova (59 kg), Vasif Baghirov (57 kg), Nurlan Aghazade (70 kg) and Yusif Dursunov (125 kg) each won bronze.