Arif Abdullayev: “The more our wrestlers participate in competitions…”

Arif Abdullayev, the head coach of the U-20 freestyle wrestling national team, gave an interview to the Azerbaijan Wrestling Federation’s website:

– The season in the U-20 age group has ended. How would you assess your team’s performance in 2024?

– Overall, we consider it satisfactory. For the third time, we became European champions in the team competition. We won 1 gold, 4 silver, and 1 bronze medal. We could have performed better at the World Championship. Some of our wrestlers didn’t wrestle to their full potential. In the end, we won 1 silver and 2 bronze medals, and finished 5th in the team standings.

– There were some noticeable changes in the lineup at the World Championship.

– Vasif Baghirov (57 kg), the European runner-up among juniors and world and European champion among cadets, injured his leg just before the World Championship. After consulting with doctors, we decided not to risk it to prevent further injury, so we didn’t take him to the World Championship.

– We are usually one of the favorites in the lighter weights, but this time we won medals in the heavier categories. Was there a specific reason for that?

– As I mentioned, Vasif didn’t participate in the World Championship due to injury. Jamal Abbasov (61 kg) just transitioned to the U-20 age group this year. His physical condition hasn’t fully adapted to this category yet. Although he won a silver medal at the European Championship, he wasn’t fully ready for the World Championship. He still has 2 more years to compete in this age group. We’ll work on improving his physical fitness and endurance. Even though he didn’t win a medal, I can mention Ayxan Abdullazade’s (65 kg) performance. In his match against his Iranian opponent, he was leading 6-0, but later lost the victory. I would say that a lack of self-confidence cost him the win. He tried to protect the score but couldn’t. This also stems from a lack of experience.

– Ağanazər Novruzov (74 kg) returned to a major competition arena after a long break and delivered both with his wrestling and results. Did you expect such a performance from him?

– Yes, we did. Ağanazər was a bronze medalist at both the European and World Championships among cadets. After that, he went to military service. This year, we tested him in 3 competitions. He showed himself well in two traditional tournaments held in Russia. His physical condition and endurance are evident. In the World Championship semifinals, he narrowly lost to the American wrestler. However, in the bronze medal match, he defeated the Russian wrestler.

– Can we expect quick results from wrestlers transitioning to the senior category, or will it take some time?

– Wrestlers like Ayxan Abdullazade, Sadiq Mustafazade, and Ramik Heybatov can achieve results in the U-23 age group. However, in the senior category, there are many athletes and strong competition, with leaders in each weight class. In this regard, the United World Wrestling’s (UWW) creation of the U-23 age group was a great decision. This way, wrestlers transitioning from juniors don’t get lost and can continue to improve in the U-23 category until they adapt to the senior category.

– From next year, wrestlers born in 2007 will compete under your guidance. Is there anyone in particular among these athletes that stands out to you?

– In the summer, we held a training camp in Khachmaz together with our U-17 team. While we focused on physical training, they worked on tactical and technical preparation. We have identified talented wrestlers. The main selection for next year will take place at the U-20 Azerbaijan Championship. Even if the 2007-born wrestlers who won medals at the European and World Championships among cadets this year don’t place at the Azerbaijan Championship, we will still monitor them and involve them in the training process.

– The competition in freestyle wrestling worldwide is increasing year by year. What steps should be taken to keep up with this competition?

– In the past, we used to hold selection tournaments like the “AGF Cup” and “Hunər Meydanı.” This made it easier for us to determine the lineup. The more our wrestlers participate in competitions and gain experience, the higher their chances of success.