Azerbaijani judoka wins historic silver for his country at 2025 Tokyo Deaflympics

Azerbaijan has secured its first-ever medal in Deaflympics history at the 25th Summer Games in Japan, marking a milestone for the nation's para-sports movement, Report informs via AZERTAC.

Athlete Joshgun Aliyev claimed the historic silver in the judo competition, contesting the 60kg weight category.

Aliyev demonstrated a dominant run on the opening day of the judo events, defeating Cho Jun-ho of South Korea in the 1/8 finals, followed by Josipi Tonžetić of Croatia in the quarter-finals. A decisive victory over Albert Gerhardus Hendrik Westerhof of the Netherlands in the semi-finals, booked his spot in the gold-medal bout.

Despite a valiant effort, Aliyev fell to Dantas Pedro of Brazil in the final, but his performance cemented his place in history as Azerbaijan's inaugural Deaflympics medalist. Yutaka Osugi, Vice President of the International Committee of Sports for the Deaf (ICSD), presented the silver medal to Judoka Joshgun Aliyev.

This year, Azerbaijan is participating with 20 athletes competing in 6 sports, marking the first time the country has been represented at the 25th Summer Deaflympics, which hosts over 3,000 athletes, running until November 26.

The Deaflympics, as the second-oldest international multi-sporting event in the world, hold a special place in the global sporting calendar, serving the development of sports for athletes with hearing impairments.