A head coach of the Azerbaijani rhythmic gymnastics national team shares her impressions of her gymnasts’ recent performances and also speaks about a change of nationality by her daughter, Siyana Vasileva

The Azerbaijani both junior and senior group teams in rhythmic gymnastics, have achieved a significant progress for the last time. Many local, as well as foreign specialists, including the head coach of the Azerbaijani rhythmic gymnastics national team Mariana Vasileva, are sure of it. Silver medals won by Azerbaijani junior and senior group teams at the recent Moscow Grand Prix in rhythmic gymnastics prove it as well.

It is remarkable that it is already the second international tournament where Siyana Vasileva, a daughter of the Azerbaijani national team’s head coach Mariana Vasileva, performs within the composition of the Azerbaijani group team together with Lala Yusifova, Aysha Mustafayeva, Mansura Bagiyeva, Aynur Jabbarli and Yekaterina Prokopenko. It should be noted that Siyana Vasileva is the youngest sportswoman who acquired an Azerbaijani citizenship. And according to the Bulgarian specialist, she quite successfully joined the ranks of the collective. Mariana Vasileva shares her impression of the Azerbaijani gymnasts’ performances at the Grand Prix in Moscow, reflects on her daughter’s prospects within the Azerbaijani national team and also speaks about plans.

“To be honest, I am very content with performances of the Azerbaijani junior group team, as it is already the second international tournament where they demonstrate a quite good performance,” Mariana Vasileva tells. “At Moscow Grand Prix, their performances were stable both on the competitions’ first and second day, especially, in the finals, where they performed without any significant mistakes. As a result, the girls received 24.5 points which is a very good score at this moment. We still have time before the European Championships, in the course of which we have to work hard and I hope we will be among the prize-winners at the continental championship. As to the senior group team, many specialists liked our exercise with 5 balls. Although they made a big mistake, they managed to won the second place. It is also necessary to make some changes in an exercise with hoops and ribbons. In particular, some specialists did not like it. Therefore, we will think what we can do to improve the program. More likely, we will change the music, if, of course, I will have enough time to find the music, which, everybody, as well as the judges will like.”

“The fact that it is already the second tournament where the junior group team stably takes the second place, suggests that it will soon be able to compete for the first place…”

“You know, it is a little bit difficult to judge of a place the team can take. Azerbaijan had no serious traditions on group exercises, although the individual performances have already been developing for eight years. After 2-3 years of having experience in group exercises, we try to demonstrate a consistency and stable development. Nevertheless, I would not like the girls to be geared up for some certain place. The main thing for them is to perform well and make glad their fans. I am very content with the fact that practically all the specialists, including judges and coaches, came up to me and made mention of our juniors after Moscow tournament. They also liked the music, suits, and, even their hair style was in line with the music. In other words, we have