1. Early Life and Background
Elmar Gasimov was born on November 2, 1990, in Xırdalan, which was then part of the Azerbaijani SSR. He began his journey in sports in 2000, and specifically started practicing judo in 1999, laying the foundation for his future career in the sport.
2. Career
Elmar Gasimov's career is marked by a steady progression from a promising junior athlete to a highly decorated senior competitor on the international stage.
2.1. Junior Career
Gasimov achieved his first notable success in 2007, securing a silver medal at the U-20 Azerbaijan Judo Championships and a bronze medal at the U23 Azerbaijan Championship. In the same year, he earned a third-place finish at the senior Azerbaijan Championship. His international debut came in 2008, where he placed seventh at the U-20 World Championship.
In 2009, Gasimov gained national recognition in Azerbaijan after winning a gold medal at the European Youth Championship held in Yerevan, the capital of Armenia. During this event, the Azerbaijani National Anthem was played in his honor, a moment of significant national pride. He notably defeated Lukáš Krpálek in the final of this competition. In the same year, he competed at the U23 European Championships, where he also won a gold medal. However, at the 2009 World Junior Championship, he finished in fifth place. Gasimov also participated in the 2009 senior World Championships in the -100 kg category, where he placed fifth, impressively defeating Japan's Masashi Anai in the third round. He later competed at the 2010 World Championships, finishing seventh.
2.2. Senior Career and Major Tournaments
Gasimov's transition to senior competitions saw him consistently challenging for medals at major international events. In 2011, he finished fifth at the World Masters and earned bronze medals at the World Cup events in São Paulo and Tashkent.
In 2012, he won a bronze medal at the European Judo Championships. The following year, 2013, he secured a bronze medal at the Grand Prix Samsun, finished fifth at the European Championships, and earned a bronze medal at the Judo Grand Slam Baku. He also took home a bronze medal from the World Masters in Tyumen.
His success continued in 2014 with bronze medals at the Grand Prix Tbilisi and Grand Prix Budapest. He achieved a silver medal at the 2014 European Championships held in Montpellier. Additionally, he won gold at the Judo Grand Slam Tyumen.
The year 2015 was particularly successful for Gasimov. He won gold medals at the Grand Prix Tbilisi and Grand Prix Samsun. At the Judo Grand Slam Baku, he won a silver medal. A significant achievement was his gold medal at the World Masters in Rabat, where he defeated the then-world champion, Lukáš Krpálek, by waza-ari. He also earned bronze medals at the Grand Prix Qingdao, Grand Prix Jeju, and Judo Grand Slam Tokyo. Gasimov was chosen as the flag bearer for Azerbaijan at the inaugural 2015 European Games in Baku. Despite this honor, he did not medal in his -100 kg category at the European Games, losing to Jorge Fonseca of Portugal by ippon in the 1/16 final.
In 2016, Gasimov finished fifth at the European Championships held in Kazan, Russia. He also won his second consecutive gold medal at the World Masters in Guadalajara.
Following his Olympic success, Gasimov continued to compete at a high level. In 2017, he won a silver medal at the Judo Grand Slam Baku and another silver at the Islamic Solidarity Games in Baku. He secured a bronze medal at the 2017 World Judo Championships, where he was defeated by Japan's Aaron Wolf in the semi-finals.
The year 2018 saw him win gold at the European Open in Minsk and the Grand Prix Tashkent. He also claimed a silver medal at the Judo Grand Slam Abu Dhabi.
In 2019, he earned a bronze medal at the Grand Prix Antalya. At the 2019 World Judo Championships, he narrowly missed out on a second bronze medal, losing to Aaron Wolf with 33 seconds remaining in the bronze medal match, placing fifth overall. He also secured a silver medal at the Judo Grand Slam Osaka.
His career continued into the next decade, with a bronze medal at the Judo Grand Slam Düsseldorf in 2020 and another bronze at the Judo Grand Slam Antalya in 2022.
2.3. Olympic Participation
Elmar Gasimov has represented Azerbaijan at two Olympic Games, showcasing his talent on the world's biggest sporting stage.
At the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, Gasimov competed in the -100 kg division. He displayed notable performance by defeating the reigning World Champion, Maksim Rakov, in his opening match, a significant upset. He eventually finished the tournament in seventh place.
His most celebrated Olympic appearance came at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. Entering the competition as the world's number one ranked judoka in his category, Gasimov was a strong contender for a medal. He began his campaign by defeating Tagir Khaibulaev, the gold medalist from the 2012 London Olympics, in the first round. Gasimov advanced to the final where he once again faced his long-time rival, Lukáš Krpálek. In the final match, Krpálek secured victory by ippon, resulting in Gasimov earning a prestigious silver medal for Azerbaijan.
3. Fighting Style
Standing at 74 in (188 cm) tall, Elmar Gasimov is known for his distinctive judo techniques and fighting approach. His favorite throw is the Kataguruma (shoulder wheel). He is also particularly adept at executing Kosoto-gake (minor outer hook), often employing it as a counter-attack. His fighting style emphasizes strategic timing and the ability to capitalize on his opponents' movements.
4. Major Results
Elmar Gasimov has achieved numerous notable results throughout his judo career.
| Olympic Games | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Rio de Janeiro | 2016 | -100 kg | Silver |
| World Championships | |||
| Budapest | 2017 | -100 kg | Bronze |
| European Games | |||
| Minsk | 2019 | -100 kg | Bronze |
| European Championships | |||
| Montpellier | 2014 | -100 kg | Silver |
| Chelyabinsk | 2012 | -100 kg | Bronze |
| World Masters | |||
| Rabat | 2015 | -100 kg | Gold |
| Guadalajara | 2016 | -100 kg | Gold |
| Tyumen | 2013 | -100 kg | Bronze |
| IJF Grand Slam | |||
| Tyumen | 2014 | -100 kg | Gold |
| Baku | 2015 | -100 kg | Silver |
| Baku | 2017 | -100 kg | Silver |
| Abu Dhabi | 2018 | -100 kg | Silver |
| Osaka | 2019 | -100 kg | Silver |
| Düsseldorf | 2020 | -100 kg | Silver |
| Baku | 2013 | -100 kg | Bronze |
| Tokyo | 2015 | -100 kg | Bronze |
| Antalya | 2022 | -100 kg | Bronze |
| IJF Grand Prix | |||
| Tbilisi | 2015 | -100 kg | Gold |
| Samsun | 2015 | -100 kg | Gold |
| Tashkent | 2018 | -100 kg | Gold |
| Samsun | 2013 | -100 kg | Silver |
| Tbilisi | 2014 | -100 kg | Bronze |
| Budapest | 2014 | -100 kg | Bronze |
| Qingdao | 2015 | -100 kg | Bronze |
| Jeju | 2015 | -100 kg | Bronze |
| Antalya | 2019 | -100 kg | Bronze |
| European Junior Championships | |||
| Yerevan | 2009 | -100 kg | Gold |
| Islamic Solidarity Games | |||
| Baku | 2017 | -100 kg | Silver |
| Other International Competitions | |||
| World Cup São Paulo | 2011 | -100 kg | Bronze |
| World Cup Tashkent | 2011 | -100 kg | Bronze |
| European Open Minsk | 2018 | -100 kg | Gold |
| Junior and National Championships | |||
| U-20 Azerbaijan Championship | 2007 | -100 kg | Silver |
| U23 Azerbaijan Championship | 2007 | -100 kg | Bronze |
| Azerbaijan Championship | 2007 | -100 kg | Bronze |
| U-20 World Championship | 2008 | -90 kg | 7th |
| World Junior Championship | 2009 | -100 kg | 5th |
| World Championships | 2009 | -100 kg | 5th |
| World Championships | 2010 | -100 kg | 7th |
| European Championships | 2013 | -100 kg | 5th |
| European Championships | 2016 | -100 kg | 5th |
5. Legacy and Reception
Elmar Gasimov is considered a significant figure in Azerbaijani judo. His achievements, particularly his Olympic silver medal, have brought considerable national pride to Azerbaijan. His role as the flag bearer for Azerbaijan at the inaugural 2015 European Games further cemented his status as a leading representative of his country's sporting prowess. The playing of the Azerbaijani national anthem in his honor at the 2009 European Youth Championship in Yerevan highlighted his early impact and the recognition he garnered for his nation on the international stage.