Azerbaijan will be represented by six talented young table tennis players at the 3rd CIS Games, set to take place from September 28 to October 8 across seven cities in the country. Despite their young age, these athletes have already made a name for themselves on the national stage and are ready to compete for medals at the international level.
At the 3rd CIS Games, table tennis competitions will be held in two age categories: athletes born in 2008 and 2011 will compete.
The head coach of the Azerbaijani national table tennis team, Ramil Jafarov, shared insights into the team’s preparation, upcoming plans, and ambitions.
“The national squad for the 3rd CIS Games was formed about six months ago, and since then the athletes have been following a structured training program. The Table Tennis Federation of Azerbaijan has provided us with all the necessary conditions. In August, we took part in the training camp in China. As part of our preparation, we’ll also take part in international tournaments. The team will be fully ready for the Games,”he said.
“The tournament will feature athletes born in 2008 and 2011. Despite their young age, our players are already demonstrating impressive potential. At the recent national championship — which included adult competitors — Onur Guluzade won the title and Adil Ahmadzade finished third. On the girls’ side, Marziya Nurbatova claimed the championship. All three will represent Azerbaijan at the Games. Their success shows that they’re not only holding their own against older athletes but in many cases outperforming them.”
“We don’t yet know all the opponents who will be coming to Azerbaijan, but we’ve seen many of them at international tournaments. We know what they’re capable of and believe that our athletes are just as strong. Our expectations are high — at the very least, we aim to reach the finals. We’ll fight for medals in every age category,” Jafarov concluded.
