Azerbaijani team shines at Grand Slam tournament in Abu Dhabi [PHOTO]
![Azerbaijani team shines at Grand Slam tournament in Abu Dhabi [PHOTO]](https://www.azernews.az/media/2016/10/31/abu_dhabi_8.jpg)
By Laman Ismayilova
Azerbaijan's national judo team has successfully performed and took the forth place at the Grand Slam tournament in Abu Dhabi, the UAE.
The Abu Dhabi Grand Slam 2016, the penultimate Grand Slam of the year, opened on World Judo Day as Rio 2016 Olympic medalists returned to the IJF World Judo Tour for the first time in the United Arab Emirates.
The Abu Dhabi Grand Slam brought together 157 fighters from 30 countries, while Azerbaijan’s hopes were pinned on twelve judo fighters.
Azerbaijan’s gold medal came from a former world champion, Elkhan Mammadov (100 kg).
The Azerbaijani judoka firstly defeated Kazakh Aibek Serikbayev and Croatian Zlatko Kumrić.
In the final, Mammadov secured the medal after beating his Brazilian rival Luciano Correa.
Judoka Rustam Orujov (73 kg) grabbed silver for Azerbaijan, while Tural Safguliyev (90 kg) claimed a bronze medal.
Tural Safguliyev defeated judoka Nantenaina Finesse, however he lost to the Serbian Alexander Kukolye. Next, Azerbaijani judoka grabbed victory over Brazilian Eduardo Bettoni and German judoka Hannes Conrad.
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Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova
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