Azerbaijani judoka Islam Rahimov won gold in the 66kg category at the U-23 European Judo Championships in Naples, Italy, successfully defending the title he claimed a year earlier.
Azerbaijan’s Islam Rahimov topped the podium in the 66kg weight category at the U-23 European Judo Championships held in Naples, Italy. In the final, he defeated Netherlands judoka Jochem van Harten by ippon to claim the European title.
The win marks Rahimov’s second consecutive gold medal in the event. Last year, in 2025, he also competed in the same weight category and beat the same opponent, Jochem van Harten, in the final to take first place.
On his way to the final, Rahimov defeated three opponents. He opened with a win over Croatia’s Kristijan Butucini, then beat France’s Alexis Renard. In the semi-final, he overcame Ukraine’s Gagik Martirosyan to reach the final.
A total of 275 judokas from 36 countries took part in the individual event in Naples.
