We concluded another significant and prestigious competition as the Azerbaijan Gymnastics Federation hosted the European Cup in Rhythmic Gymnastics! The importance of this international event was heightened by the fact that it was held for the first time on the continent and this history was written in our country. Preparation for the European Cup began well in advance for both our federation and the athletes. Foreign gymnasts arrived earlier in our country to participate in training sessions for the competition, seeking to benefit from Azerbaijan’s experience in rhythmic gymnastics. The European Cup we recently held was not just a sports event but also a visual spectacle. Musical performances, specially prepared dance compositions that engaged the audience, and surprise flash mobs delighted viewers of all ages.
At the National Gymnastics Arena, 160 gymnasts from 37 countries participated in a kind of grace competition. The delicate balance between the elegance of the movements and the difficulty of performing them is well known to many.
One of the unique features of this memorable event was the organization of competitions in a new format called cross-encounters. Based on the results of the qualifying competitions among senior athletes in the all-around, 16 senior individual gymnasts were selected to compete in the cross-encounters. In the competition among senior individual gymnasts, Stiliana Nikolova (Bulgaria) won the gold medal, Sofia Raffaeli (Italy) took silver, and Darya Atamanov (Israel) earned bronze. The medalists were awarded medals and gifts. Alongside the top three, representatives of the star six also received cash prizes. Our team members, Zohra Agamirova, reached the quarter-finals, finishing in 8th place, while Kamilla Seyidzade advanced to the round of 16, securing 16th place.
The first medals for us came from our senior group routines team. The team members claimed the bronze medal in both the 3 ribbons and 2 balls routine (29.950) and the all-around (71.550), ultimately bringing 2 bronze medals to our country. The team members also performed in the 5 hoops routine (36.950) and were awarded 4th place for their performance.
Two more pieces of good news came from our young individual gymnasts on the last day of the competition. Ilaha Bahadirova, a member of our youth team, earned a silver medal for her performance with the ball (31.550), while Shams Agahuseynova received a silver medal in the ribbon program (30.250). Although our young individual gymnasts did not reach the podium in the team competition, they finished in 5th place.
Additionally, in the finals, our senior individual gymnast Zohra Agamirova placed 4th in the ribbon routine. She also tested her skills in other apparatuses, finishing 6th in the ball routine and 8th in the hoop program.
Overall, our country concluded the European Cup in Rhythmic Gymnastics with 4 medals: 2 bronze and 2 silver.
You can find detailed information about the progress and results of the competition on our website.