/By Azernews/

y Amina Nazarli

Azerbaijan’s gymnasts have started the year with good results, participating in significant international competitions.

Last weekend saw the annual "Miss Valentine" International Tournament in Rhythmic Gymnastics held in the Estonian city of Tartu.

Azerbaijan was represented at the event running between February 11 and 14 in senior, junior and pre-junior age categories.

Gymnast Jala Piriyeva, demonstrating the exercises on senior program for the first time, took part in two finals. She took the fifth place in exercises with clubs and seventh with a ball. Jala also placed seventh in the all-around.

Following the final results of the Qualifications, junior Zohra Aghamirova won a bronze medal in the all-around and qualified for three finals, where she won the silver medal in the exercises with clubs and two bronze medals for her performance with a rope and a ball.

Gymnasts Arzu Jalilova and Narmina Samadova, making their debuts on the international arena, performed in the pre-junior program. Both gymnasts Narmina with a hoop, and Arzu with a ball won silver medals.

Also, the Belgian city of Puurs hosted the first World Cup of the year in Acrobatic Gymnastics from February 11 to 13.

The women’s group consisting of Aynur Huseynova, Lala Huseynova and Narmin Ramazanova reached the final and ranked the 5th as a result.

Meanwhile, at the “Flanders International Acro Cup” tournament held along the World Cup, the mixed pair of Aghasif Rahimov and Nurjan Jabbarli took the first place. The country’s second duet consisting of Abdulla Al-Mashaykhi and Ruhidil Gurbanli, making their debut on the international arena, became the third losing only to a pair from Australia.