Azerbaijan Triumphs in Thrilling Mixed Team Final against France

Team Azerbaijan emerged victorious in a thrilling final showdown, defeating the French in a nail-biting contest to claim the junior European mixed team title. Team France entered the mixed team event at the European Judo Championships Juniors 2024 in Tallinn with high expectations, aiming to reclaim their title after a surprising defeat last year.

The day's excitement began with a first-round match between Great Britain and Serbia, which ended 3-3, leading to a golden score. In the decisive match, Serbia’s Nikolina Nisavic, fresh off her individual gold, secured victory for her team, setting the tone for an action-packed day.

In the quarter-finals, Serbia faced reigning champions Georgia. Serbia raced to a 2-0 lead before Georgia fought back. A pivotal contest saw Kristina Nisavic (SRB) defeat Nina Loladze (GEO), leaving Georgia in a must-win situation. Although Mate Beruashvili (GEO) won his bout, Serbia’s Aleksandra Andric triumphed over Nino Gulbani (GEO), knocking out the defending champions and advancing Serbia to the semi-finals.

France, having watched Serbia's rise, comfortably defeated them 4-1 in the semi-finals, showing their intent to claim gold. In the other semi-final, Azerbaijan edged past the Netherlands, with standout performances from Fidan Alizada and Vusal Galandarzade, securing their place in the final.

The bronze medal matches delivered dramatic finishes. Irene Hesling (NED) secured a crucial win for the Netherlands over Georgia, earning them a bronze, while Serbia clinched the second bronze in a 3-3 tie by winning the final -90kg bout.

The final between France and Azerbaijan was a nail-biter. Despite a dominant start from Azerbaijan’s Kanan Nasibov, France fought back, tying the score at 3-3. The final, decided in the -57kg category, saw Alizada of Azerbaijan claim victory with a soto-makikomi after an intense 8-minute bout, securing the title for Azerbaijan.

As the Azerbaijani national anthem played, their team celebrated an unforgettable triumph, leaving France just short of reclaiming their crown.