By Trend

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

One of the participants of the World Championships, Azerbaijani gymnast Zohra Aghamirova who will represent Azerbaijan in an individual program told Trend spoke about preparation for the competitions and importance to represent the Azerbaijani team.

As many other athletes, Aghamirova came to the gymnastics classes with parents.

"Parents consulted and it was their decision for me to attend the gymnastics classes,” she said. “When I was three years old, I began to attend acrobatics classes. When I was four years old, I started attending the rhythmic gymnastics classes. I have been performing as part of the Azerbaijani team for six years. It is a huge responsibility to represent Azerbaijan."

Aghamirova is a second-year student at the Azerbaijan State Academy of Physical Education and Sports. She loves to listen to music and sing during leisure time.

“In my free time I like to sing and listen to foreign music,” she said. “But rhythmic gymnastics is the most important thing for me. This is one of the most beautiful and feminine kinds of sports. Rhythmic gymnastics forms character, develops willpower.”

Presently, the gymnast thoroughly prepares for the 37th Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships.

"We are very intensely preparing for the World Championships in Baku,” Aghamirova added. “The winners of the World Championships will have an opportunity to take part in the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. Therefore, we feel great responsibility. Before performance, I try to concentrate and listen to the coach’s instructions.”

The gymnast added that she does not have a mascot as opposed to many athletes.

“It is easier to perform when you hear the audience’s support,” Aghamirova said. “Therefore, I invite everyone to the National Gymnastics Arena on September 16-22.”

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, who will compete in the competitions with individual apparatus 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 the names of new candidates for the Olympics will be named following these Championships.

The gymnasts who will rank the first 16 places in the individual all-around program will get an opportunity to participate in the 2020 Olympic Games (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 an opportunity to participate in the 2020 Olympic Games. Five more teams participating in the Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships in Baku will also have an opportunity to participate in the 2020 Olympic Games.