37 countries, 160 athletes, 1 arena, and a shared goal! The time has finally come for the European Cup in Rhythmic Gymnastics, held for the first time on the continent. Today, the gymnasts seemed to soar through the air like birds with their performances, captivating the audience with every move they executed. The competition, lasting over 12 hours, matched the swift passage of time with the rhythm of the gymnasts' agility. Additionally, the arena was filled with not just performances but also surprise flash mobs and quizzes throughout the day.

On the first day of the qualifying competitions among senior athletes, the gymnasts captured everyone's attention with their impressive performances. There were moments when the emotions of the audience surpassed the volume of the music. At the end of the qualifying rounds, the 16 senior individual gymnasts with the best results were determined, and they will compete in the cross-encounters system. Among these 16 gymnasts are Azerbaijan’s own senior individual gymnasts Zohra Agamirova and Kamilla Seyidzade. It is noteworthy that Zohra Agamirova, a member of our national rhythmic gymnastics team, has once again made us proud by qualifying for the finals in the ball, ribbon, and hoop routines.

“Azerbaijan's President, Mr. Ilham Aliyev, provides great support for sports.” These words were spoken by Mr. Farid Gayibov, Azerbaijan’s Minister of Youth and Sports and President of European Gymnastics, at the opening ceremony of this prestigious sports event. In his speech, the Minister emphasized that rhythmic gymnastics has gained significant popularity in our country, thanks to the attention and care of Azerbaijan's First Vice President, Mehriban Aliyeva, who is also the president of the Azerbaijan Gymnastics Federation. Minister Farid Gayibov also noted that rhythmic gymnastics is the sport that attracts the most interest among girls in our country. In his opinion, this tournament is highly significant for athletes to enhance their experience.

The National Gymnastics Arena will continue to witness the peak moments of physical grace and aesthetics over the next two days.