Vali Israfilov

Azerbaijan

Swimming

Biography

Impairment information

Type of Impairment

Vision impairment

Classification

S12, SB12, SM12

Further personal information

Residence

Baku, AZE

Occupation

Student

Languages

Azerbaijani, English, Russian

Higher education

Electrical Engineering - Azerbaijan State Oil and Industry University: Baku, AZE

Sport specific information

When and where did you begin this sport?

He took up swimming in 2008 at age six in Baku, Azerbaijan.

Why this sport?

He began swimming after a doctor's recommendation.

Club / Team

Sarhadchi Swimming Club: Baku, AZE

Name of coach

Rashad Aliyev [personal], AZE

General interest

Hobbies

Listening to music, spending time with friends, reading books. (Athlete, 15 Mar 2021)

Most influential person in career

Coach Rashad Aliyev, and his father. (Athlete, 06 Mar 2019)

Hero / Idol

British swimmer Adam Peaty, musician Nicki Minaj. (insidethegames.biz, 01 Sep 2021; Athlete, 06 Mar 2019)

Awards and honours

In recognition of his performance at the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo, he received the Order for Service to the Fatherland [first class] from the president of Azerbaijan. (president.az, 06 Sep 2021)

In 2017 he received the title of Master of Sport in Azerbaijan. (Athlete, 15 Mar 2021)

Other sports

He has competed in able-bodied swimming internationally for Azerbaijan. (Athlete's coach, 04 Mar 2020; trend.az, 12 Feb 2019)