Ilham Zakiyev is set to make his first appearance of the year at his home Grand Prix ©Getty Images

Double Paralympic champion Ilham Zakiyev is set to make his first appearance since last year's World Championships at his home International Blind Sports Federation Judo Grand Prix in Baku.

Zakiyev decided to take a break from the sport after he carried Azerbaijan's flag at the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

The 30-year-old, over 100 kilograms gold medallist at Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008, returned to claim bronze at the World Championships in Portugal.

He is targeting Grand Prix gold on home soil at an event which has attracted 240 entrants from 36 countries.

"I know that all our fans and supporters in Azerbaijan will be behind us and we will do our very best to make them proud,” said Zakiyev. 

"I would love our flag to be flying above all others at this competition.

"We’re ready and the team is focused.

"We are so excited to have the chance to show our strength in our home country.”

Paralympic champion Ramil Gasimov is among the other Azerbaijani athletes competing at the event in Baku ©Getty Images
Paralympic champion Ramil Gasimov is among the other Azerbaijani athletes competing at the event in Baku ©Getty Images

Azerbaijan will field a 23-strong team for the two-day event at Heydar Aliyev Sports Complex, which begins tomorrow and concludes on Tuesday (May 14).

Uzbekistan’s Feruz Sayidov will be among the other athletes to watch and the world champion could face Paralympic gold medallist Paralympic champion Ramil Gasimov in the under-73kg event.

France’s Paralympic title holder Sandrine Martinet and Azerbaijan's world silver medallist Shahana Hajiyeva are set to battle it out in the women's under-52kg class.

The competition is the first to be held as part of a Memorandum of Understanding IBSA signed with the International Judo Federation to help develop the sport.