Azernews.Az

By Nazrin Gadimova

Azerbaijani gymnasts won 12 medals, including eight gold medals, at an annual KFK Gracia Cup held in Budapest on February 22-23.

This was reported by Azerbaijan's Gymnastics Federation.

Leader of the Azerbaijani team Marina Durunda won five gold medals, provided by the program of the event and achieved phenomenal success, given the fact that at the previous tournament held in the Estonian city of Tartu, she ranked first three times in a row.

Azerbaijan's national team, consisting of Sabina Abbasova, Aliya Pashayeva, Siana Vasileva, Alexandra Platonova, Diana Doman and Aynur Mustafayeva, ranked the first two of the three possible places, performing with three balls, two ribbons, and with maces.

As for juniors, 14-year-old Azerbaijani gymnast Jala Pirieva won exercises with the hoop and ball, while Beyza Demir, born in 1999, won bronze in exercises with the ribbon. In the team events young athletes took the second place.

Head coach of the Azerbaijani national team Mariana Vasileva said this year's first tournament of the Grand Prix series will be held in Moscow this week, where Marina Durunda, senior group team, Beyza Demir and junior group team consisting of Emilia Bagiyeva, Sabina and Zeynab Gummatova, Jannat Mammadova and Sabina Alizade will represent the country.

Azerbaijani gymnasts have set brilliant records during 2013 games winning 85 medals at various sports events. The most important title of the Olympic cycle was a silver medal won in the final of the European Championship in Vienna by the junior group team, consisted of Nilufar Niftalyeva, Gulsum Shafizade, Sabina Gummatova, Alexandra Platonova, Emilia Bagiyeva, and Aynur Mustafayeva.