Karazin University Student Khazar Heydarov Wins Judo Gold at the Youth Olympic Games

Karazin University student Khazar Heydarov of the School of Computer Sciences and Artificial Intelligence has won a gold medal at the 4th Summer Youth Olympic Games, Dakar 2026. The 17-year-old from Kharkiv claimed victory in the men's judo competition in the under-66 kg weight category, securing Ukraine's first medal at the Games.

On his way to the final, the athlete defeated opponents from Senegal and Hungary before facing Anes Mati of Canada, the reigning Cadet World Champion, in the decisive bout. As a result, Khazar not only won Ukraine's first-ever judo gold medal at the Youth Olympic Games but also opened Ukraine's medal tally at the Dakar competition.

The Karazin student's sporting record already includes several notable international achievements. In 2024, he won a bronze medal at the Cadet World Championships; in 2025, he claimed victory at the European Youth Olympic Festival; and in June 2026, he won gold at the Cadet European Championships.

In 2026, Khazar also enrolled at Karazin University. He is studying at the School of Computer Sciences and Artificial Intelligence, majoring in Automation, Computer-Integrated Technologies and Robotics, while pursuing his professional sporting career.

Karazin University congratulates Khazar Heydarov and his coaches on this outstanding achievement! We are proud of our student's success and wish him many more victories and new sporting heights to conquer.