Baku – The Azerbaijani national team, following a commendable performance at the Paris-2024 Summer Paralympic Games, was warmly welcomed back home with applause and celebrations at the Heydar Aliyev International Airport.

According to Trend News Agency, the team, including two Paralympic award winners, received a heroes’ welcome organized by the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the National Paralympic Committee, alongside media members, fans, and relatives of the athletes. The Azerbaijani squad concluded the games with a total of 11 medals, comprising four gold, two silver, and five bronze, securing the 28th position among 169 participating countries.

Highlighting the medalists, Imameddin Khalilov triumphed in parataekwondo (70 kg), while Said Najafzade and Orkhan Aslanov clinched gold in long jump (T12 and T13 categories, respectively). Lamiya Valiyeva excelled in the 100-meter sprint and added a silver in the 400-meter run. Raman Saley achieved a silver in the 100-meter backstroke and two bronzes in the 100-meter freestyle and butterfly events. Additional bronzes were claimed by Sabir Zeynalov in parataekwondo (58 kg), Veli Israfilov in the 100-meter breaststroke, and Ilham Zakiyev in parajudo (+90 kg).

The Paralympic Games, which spanned from August 28 to September 9, saw strong international competition, with Azerbaijan’s team demonstrating formidable skill and determination across various disciplines.