Hidayat Heydarov Wins First Olympic Gold for Azerbaijan

Hidayat Heydarov of Azerbaijan has won the gold medal in the men's -73 kg judo category at the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics, marking the first Olympic gold for Azerbaijan in this sport. He triumphed over French judoka Joan-Benjamin Gaba in a closely contested final that extended into Golden Score, ultimately winning by ippon. This victory solidifies Heydarov's status as a champion, having already secured titles in European and World competitions this year. With this win, he becomes Azerbaijan's second Olympic judo champion, following Elnur Mammadli, who won in 2008. Gaba's silver and bronzes for Adil Osmanov of Moldova and Soichi Hashimoto of Japan rounded out the podium. Heydarov's achievement is a significant milestone in Azerbaijani sports history.