TODAY.AZ / Sports

Azerbaijani team performing in group exercises tell their stories

13 September 2019 [12:47] - TODAY.AZ

By Trend


The large-scale competitions - the 37th Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships will be held in Baku, Azerbaijan, on September 16-22, Trend reports.

During the Championships, in the program of group exercises, Azerbaijan will be represented by a team consisting of Aliya Pashayeva, Daria Sorokina, Ayshen Bayramova, Zeynab Hummatova and Diana Ahmadbayli.

Of course, presently, Azerbaijani gymnasts are thoroughly training to take part in the World Championships. However, the gymnasts found time in their busy schedules and talked about training, significance of rhythmic gymnastics and their appearance in this kind of sports.

- Tell us why have you chosen rhythmic gymnastics?

I have started to attend rhythmic gymnastics classes since 2005, Aliya Pashayeva said. I came to these classes together with my parents. They wanted me to have a good posture, a beautiful figure. Many parents prefer their children to attend the gymnastics classes for robust health. My parents have never thought that I would be a professional gymnast.

I chose this kind of sports myself. For the first time in my life I was watching rhythmic gymnastics exercises on TV. I liked the performance of the athletes so much that I wanted to attend the gymnastics classes. I liked the gymnasts’ beauty, the elements that they performed with apparatus. It was very interesting to watch the performances.

When I was five years old, I came to the gymnastics classes together with my parents for general physical training, Diana Ahmadbayli said. At first I did not really like the classes, I trained a little and stopped. After some time I realized that I want to train again and returned.

I came to the rhythmic gymnastics classes with my mother, Daria Sorokina said. I was fat and the coaches did not want to train me. I was training, running, doing exercises and after I lost weight, the coaches said that I would be a gymnast. So I continued to attend the gymnastics classes.

When I was seven years old, I began to attend the gymnastics classes, Ayshen Bayramova said. My mother likes sports very much. She wanted to be a gymnast but her parents did not send her to the gymnastics classes. I started to train together with my sister. Then she decided to stop but I liked gymnastics so much that I continued to attend these classes.

When I was six years old, I came to the gymnastics classes together with my parents, Zeynab Hummatova said. From an early age I was flexible and the coaches said that I would be a gymnast. I enjoyed it and I decided to continue to attend the gymnastics classes.

- Of course, each of you had idols. Who are they?

I can’t say that I have idols, but I like some specific features of some gymnasts, Aliya Pashayeva said. For example, I really liked gymnasts such as Anna Rizatdinova, Daria Kondakova, Alina Kabayeva.

I liked to watch the performances of Anna Rizatdinova, Anna Bessonova and Alina Kabayeva, Zeynab Hummatova said.

I like the period of gymnastics, when there was the training cycle for the 2012 Olympic Games, Diana Ahmadbayli said. I really liked the performances of Daria Kondakova, Daria Dmitriyeva and Yevgenia Kanayeva. They are idols. I also liked the performances of Anna Bessonova and Anna Rizatdinova.

When I was small, I liked the performances of Alina Kabayeva very much, Ayshen Bayramova said. I also liked the performances of Anna Rizatdinova, Daria Dmitriyeva, Yevgenia Kanayeva and Yana Kudryavtseva.

I liked the performances of Israeli gymnast Neta Rivkin, Daria Sorokina said. I can’t even name the reason, but I was watching the performances of this athlete with great interest. Presently, I like the performances of Yekaterina Selezneva.

- Of course, gymnastics takes most of your time, but perhaps you have some other hobbies?

Sometimes I write poetry, Aliya Pashayeva said. I like to learn something spiritual and read about it.

I also sometimes write poetry and like to study foreign languages, Zeynab Hummatova said.

Peviously, I was fond of music, liked to play the guitar and piano, Diana Ahmadbayli said. Now I spend most of my time on household chores. I also study English.

I like watching TV shows, Ayshen Bayramova said. I walk a lot, chat with friends. I like to talk with friends and family.

I like to listen to music and I like traveling, Daria Sorokina said.

- Tell us, what is your education, where do you study?

I graduated from the Azerbaijan State Academy of Physical Education and Sports, Aliya Pashayeva said. I intend to continue to study.

I am a second year student at the Azerbaijan State Academy of Physical Education and Sports, Zeynab Hummatova said.

I am a third year student of the Azerbaijan State Academy of Physical Education and Sports, Diana Ahmadbayli said.

I am also a third year student at the Azerbaijan State Academy of Physical Education and Sports, Ayshen Bayramova said.

I am in the 11th grade - I am the smallest in our team, Daria Sorokina said.

- The most important thing for you now is the World Championships in Baku. Tell us about training.

To be honest, we are training intensively, Aliya Pashayeva said. We often have the assessment training as the World Championship is not ordinary. The winners will get the licenses for the Olympic Games 2020. This is very important for us. So we are intensively training for the Championships. Little time is left before the competitions.

- And what can you say about rivals at the World Championships?

First of all, we are rivals for ourselves, Aliya Pashayeva said.

The teams that will perform well will receive high scores, Diana Ahmadbayli said. Therefore, we must train more to perform well.

- What do you do before the performances? How do you cope with excitement?

At least we should thoroughly train not to worry during the performance, Aliya Pashayeva said. Before the performance, there is excitement. But it is necessary to realize that you have performed the program several times during training. This thought sets the mind at rest.

Before the performance, we support and encourage each other, Ayshen Bayramova said. And of course, our coach supports us.

- What is the most important thing in the team?

Cohesion, being one team is the most important thing, Aliya Pashayeva said. One for all and all for one.

After 14 years, Baku will again host the Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships. During seven days, the gymnasts will perform in the National Gymnastics Arena, both in the individual program and as part of teams in group exercises. The gymnasts will compete in the competitions with individual apparatuses and in the all-around competitions. The names of the best athletes in the team event will also be announced.

The World Championships are the qualifying competitions for the Olympic Games - 2020. Not only the winners, but also new candidates for the Olympic Games will be named following these Championships.

TOP-16 gymnasts performing in the individual all-around program will get the licenses (maximum two gymnasts from the country). As for the teams involved in group exercises, following the results of the last year’s World Cup, the teams of Bulgaria, Russia and Italy have already obtained the licenses. Five more teams will also get the licenses during the World Championships in Baku.















URL: http://www.today.az/news/sports/186246.html

Print version

Views: 1345

Connect with us. Get latest news and updates.

Recommend news to friend

  • Your name:
  • Your e-mail:
  • Friend's name:
  • Friend's e-mail: