"This is a great honor for me!" Malika Timurshina talks about performing at international competitions in Baku

Malika Timurshina from Kazan told how the Academy prepared for the international tournament Winter Fairytale in Baku.

"I came to Alina Kabaeva, she said: "Let's see you at the competition in Baku." And I didn't even go to my hometown, I immediately stayed in Sochi to prepare for Baku. That's how it happened, somehow instantly, I didn't even expect it. Evgeniya Eliseeva helped me at the Academy. She is a very good coach, a very good choreographer. Olga Minigalina helped me, she was the main part. Many thanks to Alina Kabaeva for supporting me. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to perform in Baku. She even helped me, added some tricks," Malika said.

The gymnast noted that she was nervous before going out, but the support of her coaches helped her.

"I was nervous at the competition. I was even nervous during training, because the programs were new, they had been put together recently. The hall was so big, it was downright scary. My coach from my hometown, Oksana Ishmaeva, encouraged me. I’m grateful that she always supports me, even at a distance. Always knows what to say. She encouraged me and said: "Go out the way you did and knew you were number one," she said.

Malika also shared what it was like for her to perform for Sky Grace for the first time.

"It's really exciting. But it's still a great honor for me. And I'm very proud that I just performed for the International Sky Grace Rhythmic Gymnastics Clubs Association," the gymnast said.

Malika Timurshina from Kazan won three gold medals at the international Winter Fairytale tournament in Baku in the all-around, as well as in the hoop and clubs exercises among gymnasts born in 2013.