Ilham Zakiyev wins ninth European para-judo title

Tbilisi, September 20, 2025

Azerbaijan’s para-judo star Ilham Zakiyev (J1, +95kg) captured his ninth European championship, defeating Ion Basoc of Moldova by ippon in the final at the continental championships in Tbilisi.

Earlier in the day, Zakiyev beat Moldova’s Oleg Kretul in the quarterfinals and threw Turkey’s Gökhan Bicer for ippon in the semifinals to reach the gold-medal bout.

The victory adds another milestone to Zakiyev’s decorated career and extends his dominance in the men’s J1 heavyweight category.