Azernews.Az

Laman Ismayilova

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The 10th "Arpaçay Open" karate tournament dedicated to the 35th anniversary of the January 20 tragedy has concluded, Azernews reports.

This event was organized by the Baku City Youth and Sports Department in collaboration with the Azerbaijan Karate Federation (AKF).

The opening ceremony of the 10th anniversary tournament, which plays a significant role in promoting patriotism and the development of karate as a sport, was held at the Baku Sports Palace.

The ceremony began with a moment of silence to honor the memory of the National Leader Heydar Aliyev and the martyrs who sacrificed their lives for Azerbaijan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Following this, the National Anthem of the Republic of Azerbaijan was performed by the Military Orchestra of the Ministry of Defense.

Vice-President of the Azerbaijan Karate Federation Rahman Hatamov, Members of the Azerbaijani Parliament Sadig Gurbanov, Vugar Iskandarov, and Vugar Rahimzade spoke about the January 20 tragedy, the 44-day Patriotic War, and the government's support for sports.

Subsequently, a ceremony was held to present gifts and honorary diplomas to the guests of the event.

In the artistic segment of the ceremony, a special composition dedicated to the theme of patriotism was performed by Farahim Sadig, head of the "Öncə Vətən" Public Union, and soloists from the Military Orchestra of the Ministry of Defense.

At the end of the event, Yaver Huseynov, head of the "Arpaçay Karate Club," expressed gratitude to the President of the Azerbaijan Karate Federation, Ulvi Guliyev, the director of the Baku Sports Palace, Ali Asgarov, and to the heads of sports clubs and public unions, referees, coaches, athletes, and all participants for their comprehensive support.

It should be noted that the 2-day 10th "Arpaçay Open" tournament saw nearly 800 athletes from about 10 foreign countries (Turkiye, Iran, Czech Republic, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Uzbekistan, Russia) compete in kata, kumite, and team kumite events, including participants from Baku, Sumgayit, and various regions of Azerbaijan.

Among the 65 sports clubs participating in the tournament, the "Black Panther" club took first place, the "Black Diamond" club came in second, and the sports club from the Jambyl region of Kazakhstan secured third place.