Azerbaijan, Baku, Feb.22 / Trend /
The Azerbaijani gymnasts gained eight bronze medals at the first stage of Grand Prix and international juniors competitions held in Moscow, the Azerbaijan Gymnastics Federation (AGF) told Trend
Aliya Garayeva performed in all finals of Grand Prix and gaining high points in two of them including hoop (27.55) and ribbon (27.775) ranked the third. Russian athlete Evgeniya Kanayeva took the first place and Darya Kondakova ranked the second
Senior group exercise team in the exercise with hoops took the third place. Ceyla Guliyeva, Stephanie Trajanova, Anastasia Prasolova, Nigar Abdusalimova, Jamila Huseynova and Nigar Mirzoyeva also ranked the third with 51.65 points yielding Belarusian and Russian gymnasts in the all-around
"We won eight bronze medals and very pleased with junior group, which is preparing for spring European championship in Germany. Medina Hasanova, Mansura Mekhtiyeva, Aliya Pashayeva and Irada Ahadzade took third place with ribbons and hoops. 14-year old Lala Yusifova is too worthy of flattering words. She took the bronze with the ball and ranked fifth in the all-around within the tournament 'Alina-2012'. Despite the bad weather, a Friendship gymnasium was full of spectators and the Azerbaijani youth Coordinating Council supported our athletes all the time," AGF Secretary General Farid Haibov said.
According to Gaibov, juniors took the following places: Jale Garatova - eight, Aisha Mustafayeva- 12, Ekaterina Prokopenko -23 among 40 athletes.
Anna Gurbanova also won bronze medal as 12 athletes out of competition. Dina Gorina ranked fourth and Samira Mustafayeva ranked fifth.
"The athletes will take a little rest in last winter week-end and meet at the World Cup and International tournament in Budapest and Ljubljana which will be held March 5-7," Azerbaijani chief coach Mariana Vasileva said.