Shoadham Israilov: "We try not to deviate from the planned plan”
The next guest of the information and analytical program" OlympicUz " was the Deputy chairman of the Judo Federation of Uzbekistan Shoadham Israilov. We talked with our interlocutor about the new strategy developed by the leadership of the Federation and the mechanisms for its implementation, about the goals of the international training camp in Tashkent, about who has the opportunity to get a ticket to the Olympic Games in Tokyo 2020.
– It has been two years since the new leadership of the Federation began its activities. When I started, the team had a strategy, a work plan. Will you be satisfied with what you have done in the past period?
– First of all, it was planned to prepare the main team for the Olympic Games, collect rating points and, thus, go to Tokyo with a large team. For this reason, we had to successfully participate in the Grand Prix, Masters and World Championship tournaments. Last year, Sharofiddin Lutfullayev took 2nd place at the World Judo Championships in Japan. For a long time, this was not observed in Uzbek judo. At the Grand Prix in Dusseldorf in the weight category up to 90 kg Davlet Babanov and in the category up to 100 kg Mukhammedkarim Khurramov won gold medals. Despite the pandemic, the national team continues to train fully. I express my gratitude to the leadership of the Ministry of Physical Culture and Sports of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the National Olympic Committee and the Judo Federation of the Republic of Uzbekistan for the conditions provided for the full training of the main team. Now we must try to justify this trust as much as possible.
– A foreign coach has been working in the national team for 11 months. Today the head coach of the national team, the winner of the Olympic Games, the legendary champion of Greece Ilias Iliadis became a close friend of our wrestlers. What changes have occurred in the technique after the arrival of this specialist?
- Indeed, Ilias is a wrestler who has successfully passed all the stages of his sports career. This experience, accumulated over the years, he teaches our athletes today. He took on a lot of responsibility, he has clear goals and objectives, he promised that he would achieve this. Currently working in this direction.
– These days, an international training camp with the participation of national teams of five countries is being held at the judo center under the Judo Federation of Uzbekistan. With such a large amount of training, the goal is great-the result that is pursued in essence. How useful is this collection for us?
- The leading athletes of the main national teams of Georgia, Egypt, Kyrgyzstan under the leadership of Ilias Iliadis conduct training sessions with our wrestlers in a good mood. This international training camp will be a stage of preparation of the national teams of Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan for the Asian Championship, which is planned to be held in the capital of Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar, Georgian judoists are preparing for the European Championship, which will be held in the Czech Republic, Prague, and Egypt-for the African Championship, which will be held in Madagascar. It also serves as a preparation for the Grand Slam tournament to be held in Croatia at the end of the year.
– Currently, the women's national team conducts training camps in the Khorezm region. They usually prepared for the competition with the men's team. Is there a negative effect of both of them being isolated and exercising?
– From our regions, which supply the main athletes to the women's team of the Republic of Karakalpakstan and the Khorezm region. The most talented girls of the Republic gathered there. We have no concerns about this. As for the rating among women, in the main draw in the weight category -52 kg Diera Keldyerova is in the rating zone, and in the category -70 kg Gulnoza Matniyazova also makes her way to this stage. Now they are working on improving their result. If Gulnoza crosses the rating zone, the quota for obtaining a license appears even in the weight of 78 kg. Then conditions will be created for Nodira Yuldasheva to fight for the ticket. For the first time at the Olympic Games in Tokyo, they were allowed to participate in team competitions. Members of the national team of Uzbekistan can also participate in team competitions.
– After the Budapest Grand Slam tournament, the International Judo Federation published an updated Olympic ranking of athletes. It is no accident that I directly link the offer to the rating. For the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, this is much more important. Which of our athletes can you appreciate?
– We can attest that our representatives, having reached at least the quarterfinals at the competition, have significantly improved their positions in the ranking. In particular, in the weight of 60 kg, Sharofiddin Lutfilayev rose 1 step higher and took third place, and Sardor Nurillayev improved his position by 5 steps. Sharafiddin's rating points are much better. I have a problem with the weight of 66 kg. The captain's result is not exactly what we expected. In Hungary, he had a great chance. No matter how hard we tried, in the fight for the 3rd place, he was defeated and took the 5th place. However, he scored 360 points. In 73 kg, Hikmatulla Turaev has good chances. A young guy with potential, a wrestler who can also take part in Paris 2024. Two of our athletes can compete in the weight category up to 81 kg. Who of Sharofiddin Boltabayev and Kamoliddin Rasulov will be higher, we will agree and hold the Olympics. In the category up to 90 kg, Davlet Babanov won a gold medal at the tournament in Dusseldorf, becoming one of the young, talented athletes who showed a decent result. The rating zone of Mukhammedkarim Khurramov in 100 kg is also not bad. At the competition in Budapest, the shortcomings were obvious. The same situation is with Bekmurod Altybayev in the weight +100 kg. With these athletes, we also collect medals.
- Thank you for a meaningful conversation.
Zafar Imamkhodjayev spoke.
