Teymur Mammadov: 'I am honored to be the Azerbaijani flag bearer' - INTERVIEW

Baku. 25 June. REPORT.AZ/ An interview of an Azerbaijani boxer (category - 81 kg weight) who will represent the country on Summer Olympics-2016 in Rio de Janeiro to Report.

- You won a gold medal on Baku-2015 first European Games and now you were licensed for Rio-2016. What are your impressions?

- I am extremely happy that I could get it. I wanted to get a license for Rio de Janeiro and I did that. Now I want to raise the Azerbaijani flag in the Olympic Games and I believe I will be to do that.

- Your opponent did not come to the ring, and you automatically got a license to the summer games. Did you expect that?

- I did not expect. I had been preparing for the fight. Then I learned that my opponent would not ring. Sometimes it happens in sports when you get an injury and then cannot fight.

- You will raise the Azerbaijani flag on the summer Olympic games in Rio 2016...

- I am honored to be the Azerbaijani flag bearer. I'll try to realize all expectations.

- Interestingly, flag bearers cannot succeed at the Games. Does not this syndrome scare you?

- It depends on the athletes. We have to prepare for competitions well. I will try my best to raise the flag of Azerbaijan.

- Do you have any preparation plans?

- We're going to America next week. After about 20 days of preparation, we are coming back to Baku and then will leave for Rio de Janeiro. We're going a little bit earlier so we get used to the the atmosphere there.

- How do you estimate our boxers’ chances to win medals?

- Our team is very strong. I believe in their successes.

- What do you think of competitors?

- For me, all the competitors are strong. I mean I don’t even think that one fighter is weak and I want to compete with him, no, never.