Trend:

Azerbaijan is fully ready for holding the XV Summer European Youth Olympic Festival, said Azerbaijani Minister of Youth and Sports Azad Rahimov, Trend reports.

According to him, Baku is hosting yet another important competition.

"We are fully ready for the competition and the strongest will win in them," he said.

The minister noted that local specialists are responsible for the main part of the organizational work.

"This competition is very important for both Azerbaijan and Europe. No such competitions are being held in any continent apart for Europe. We have achieved this. It will be a great experience for our athletes, and a great challenge," he noted.

The XV Summer European Youth Olympic Festival, which will be held July 21-27, will take place at 12 sports facilities.

The festival will be attended by 3,900 athletes from 48 European countries. 52 percent of the participants are males, and 48 ??percent are females. Athletes will compete for 135 sets of medals. A total of 930 medals are prepared for the winners, including 300 gold, 300 silver and 330 bronze medals.

Some 122 athletes will represent Azerbaijan at the festival.

Athletes will compete in ten kinds of sports - gymnastics, athletics, basketball, cycling, handball, judo, swimming, tennis, volleyball and wrestling.

In each of these sports, Azerbaijan will be represented by 18 athletes. In addition, 12 athletes in judo, 4 athletes in rhythmic gymnastics, 6 in cycling, 4 in tennis and 6 in swimming will compete for medals. In team sports, 12 athletes are included in each of the country’s volleyball and basketball teams. Each men’s and women’s handball team includes 30 players.

More than 2,500 volunteers will be involved in the festival.