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“MISS VALENTINE” IN AN AZERBAIJANI MANNER

14 February 2011

“MISS VALENTINE” IN AN AZERBAIJANI MANNER
No less than 18 medals of various coinage, 7 of which are gold, have been won by Azerbaijani gymnasts at this year’s first event - the “Miss Valentine-2011” traditional international tournament held in Estonian Tartu city.

The national team’s leader Aliya Garayeva confirmed her high status by winning 3 gold medals with a hoop, a ball, clubs and taking the 3rd place with a ribbon.

Her team-mate Anna Gurbanova twice took the 2nd place - with a hoop and a ribbon, and regaining her shape Zeynab Javadli and Samira Mustafayeva became the 5th with a ball and the 6th with a hoop accordingly.

The country’s both group teams demonstrated successful performances as well. The main team consisting of Anastasiya Prasolova, Jeyla Guliyeva, Jamila Huseynova, Ayelita Khalafova, Sabina Abbasova and Stefani Trayanova became the silver medalists in an exercise with 3 ribbons / 2 hoops and bronze medalists with 5 balls.

Another team consisting of gymnasts of “Neftchi” club, Zhala Garatova, Irada Ahadzada, Mansura Mehdiyeva, Madina Hasanova and Aliya Pashayeva produced a better impression in the second combination, and, therefore, they took the higher place than their team-mates within the main team (2nd place, 5 balls).

And all the juniors participating in the competitions came back to Baku with a yield of medals as well.

A 13-year-old Gulsum Shafizada won a victory over her rivals with a ribbon and became the second with a hoop, and a gymnast of the same age Laman Dadashli won the “bronze” with clubs.

And her namesake Laman Hajizada (born in 1999) also won bronze medals with clubs and a ball.

An 11-year-old Rugiyya Sattarova had no equals in an exercise with a rope, Leyli Ibrahimova (born in 2001) became the 3rd in an exercise without apparatus, and a little 7-year-old Lala Kramarenko won her first gold medals (without apparatus and a hoop).

“And only a junior group team, who was going the second after the competition’s first day, unfortunately, remained outboard of medalists”, the national team’s head coach Mariana Vasileva said. “A couple of mistakes made at the key moments of an exercise with 5 ropes placed Lala Yusifova, Aysha Mustafayeva, Mansura Bagiyeva, Aynur Jabbarli, Siyana Vasileva and Yekaterina Prokopenko on the 4th place in the end.”

“However, it is our first tournament this year, and I am very content with all the gymnasts,” she noted. They all demonstrated their new programs and I am glad that they were successful in making a good impression. The audience also supported our every appearance on the floor. And the main thing is that we have to do a very serious work within the next 3 month prior to the European Championships in Minsk,” M. Vasileva summed up.