Chilean national team captain: Azerbaijan - main favorite at Chovgan World Championship

Chovgan has a bright future, as the sport is actively developing and attracting more and more supporters in different regions of the world, Eduardo Hechem, captain of the Chilean national chovgan team, told Report.

The Chilean team is one of the participants in the 2nd World Chovgan Championship, which is currently taking place in Azerbaijan.

"I believe that chovgan is actively developing in Asia and Africa today, and is gradually gaining popularity in other parts of the world. I think this sport has a bright future. It's very interesting not only from a competition perspective, but also because of the special atmosphere. A true spirit of camaraderie is felt here between the teams. Beyond athletic rivalry, there is friendship and mutual respect, which, in my opinion, will contribute to the even faster development of this sport," he noted.

Speaking about the organization of the tournament in Baku, Hechem praised its high level.

"Everything was organized at a very high level. We were greeted and received wonderfully. Frankly, everything exceeded our expectations. We constantly feel the warmth and hospitality of the organizers and the locals," said the Chilean team captain.

Hechem also noted that participating in the World Chovgan Championship was his team's first such experience.

"We have a very good team. We've known each other for a long time, having played together for many years in Chile. We mostly played polo, not chovgan. This is our first experience competing in chovgan, but thanks to our teamwork and mutual understanding, it will be easier for us to compete against other teams," he emphasized.

Responding to a question about the tournament favorites, the Chilean captain named Azerbaijan as the main contender.

"I think the Azerbaijani team is the main favorite. We'll be playing them today. They're a very strong team; the players know their horses very well, they're playing in their home arena, and they've been playing together for a long time. Therefore, in my opinion, the Azerbaijani team has the best chance of winning the tournament," Hechem said.