Nargiz Suleymanova qualifies for European Figure Skating Championship

Azerbaijani figure skater Nargiz Suleymanova will make her debut at the European Figure Skating Championships, Azernews reports.

Nargiz Suleymanova secured her spot at the European Championship after a strong performance at the Bosphorus Cup in Istanbul.

She claimed the gold medal with a total score of 156.53 points across both the short and free programs, outperforming 26 other competitors.

Other Azerbaijani skaters also competed in the event: Sabina Aliyeva finished in sixth place with 137.22 points, and Arina Kalugina took fifth with 154.85 points.

"Yesterday, a dream came true," Nargiz Suleymanova shared on her Instagram after securing a spot at the European Figure Skating Championship.

She continued, "It was a great honour to raise the Azerbaijani flag. I deeply thank my federation for trusting me and giving me this opportunity."

The European Figure Skating Championships is an annual competition recognised by the International Skating Union (ISU). Medals are awarded in men's singles, women's singles, pair skating, and ice dance.

As the sport's oldest competition, the event dates back to 1891 when it was first held in Hamburg, Germany.

Women were first allowed to compete in 1930, the same year pair skating was introduced. Ice dance was added to the event in 1954.

The 2026 European Championships are scheduled to be held from 13 to 18 January in Sheffield, England, in the United Kingdom.