Azerbaijani Teen Takes Gold in Grappling Tournament

Jerusalem, 19 February, 2026 (TPS-IL) -- Baku (AZERTAC) – Mahammad Rustamli, a 9th grade student at Lachin Secondary School No. 29, a member of a former internally displaced person family from the city of Lachin, has achieved another great success in the international arena.

AZERTAC reports that the young athlete won a gold medal at the Eurasian Championship held by the International Amateur Grappling Association (AIGA).

In the prestigious tournament, which was attended by more than 30 countries and more than 90 sports academies, he distinguished himself in both individual and team scores, taking 1st place. Rustamli’s high level of preparation was specially emphasized on the official platforms of AIGA as exemplary.

The town of Lachin is located within the strategic Lachin corridor, which links the Nagorno-Karabakh region with Armenia. It was captured by Armenian forces in 1992 during the First Nagorno-Karabakh War and returned to Azerbaijan in 2022.

The Rustamli family, who lived in difficult conditions for many years, was provided with modern and comfortable housing in the “Gobu Park-1” residential complex as part of social programs implemented by the state. The extensive sports infrastructure in the residential complex has created real opportunities for young people like Muhammad to engage in professional sports.

The young champion said that he welcomed the liberation of his native city of Lachin from occupation with great pride: “I am grateful to the country’s leadership for the successes I have achieved and the attention shown to us. My main desire is to return to my native Lachin soon, contribute to the development of sports there, and promote a healthy lifestyle for young people.”