By Gulgiz Dadashova, Azernews
Azerbaijani women's acrobatic gymnastics pair, Aynur Huseynova and Narmin Ramazanova, won the silver medal at the Flanders International Acro Cup competition held in Belgium last week.
Earlier, Huseynova and Ramazanova became all-around winners of an international tournament among juniors held within the framework of the World Cup Series in Portuguese Maia.
The Azerbaijan Gymnastics Federation reported that silver medals were also brought to Baku by men's pair in acrobatic gymnastics, consisting of Elchin Alibayov and Emin Gulmammadli. Unfortunately, another women's pair -- Lala Huseynova and Khoshgadam Guliyeva, participating in their age group, stopped short of winning medals and ranked fourth.
This year's Flanders International Acro Cup competition, held on April 5-7, was joined by 12 countries, including Russia, Britain, Belgium, and Azerbaijan, among others, and drew a total of 512 competitors.
Meanwhile, Azerbaijan's junior gymnastics team won bronze medals of the international competition held within the framework of another World Cup series in Lisbon.
The Azerbaijani team comprising Gulsum Shafizada, Nilufar Niftaliyeva, Sabina Hummatova, Emilya Bagiyeva and Aynur Mustafayeva, with the result of 29.15 points, took 3rd place in the final of an exercise with 5 hoops, next only to Russia and Belarus.
Coach of the national team Mariana Vasileva said that another junior team, which consisted of individual gymnasts this time, also delivered a successful performance.
"13-year old Jala Piriyeva and Zuleykha Ismayilova, as well as 14-year-old Veronika Omarova, took the 4th place among 19 teams, losing the 3rd place to the athletes from the USA. I think they performed perfectly, and despite being the youngest among the participants, they competed for the 'place under the sun at the equal level with them!'" Vasileva said.
The senior gymnasts, participating in the World Cup competitions, also performed well. Thus, Lala Yusifova took the 5th place in an exercise with a ball. Yusifova became the 6th in another final with clubs, and 8th in the all-round competition. Another gymnast, Marina Durunda, also competed in the final with clubs where she took the 5th place.
Azerbaijan's group team including Sabina Abbasova, Siyana Vasileva, Aliya Pashayeva, Irada Ahadzade, Sabina Garatova and Mansura Bagiyeva qualified for the final of the exercise with 3 balls and 2 ribbons, where they took 8th place. According to the results of two performances, they ranked 9th.
The Baltic journey awaits Azerbaijani gymnasts this weekend. Prospective participants of Euro-2013 - Lala Yusifova, Marina Durunda and the junior team - will compete at the international competition to be held in Riga, Latvia on April 13-14.