Nurlana Mammadzade, Azerbaijan Gymnastics Federation Secretary General,&nbsp;explains why Baku is considered one of the centers of world rhythmic gymnastics<blockquote>"Representatives from 42 countries, approximately 100 gymnasts, are participating. Starting from this World Cup, the gymnasts are competing for licenses for the next Olympic Games, which will be held in Los Angeles. Naturally, this is an additional responsibility for the organizers. Baku often hosts World Cups in Olympic gymnastics. Traditionally, since 2016, we have hosted the World Cups in artistic gymnastics and trampoline every year. And April, spring, is the time for rhythmic gymnastics."</blockquote>Baku will host another major start very soon — the European Cup. She also revealed the details of the tournament:<blockquote>"The first European Rhythmic Gymnastics Cup was held in Baku in 2024, and we also hosted it in 2025. The competition will also be held in 2026. The European Cup's format is unique, and therefore generates more interest because it's not the usual format, after qualifying, the Top-8 advance to the final. It also features crossover competitions. That means after qualifying, each group and each individual gymnast has their own opponents. And everyone in the gymnastics community is talking about it with interest."</blockquote>

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Opinion

The Azerbaijan Gymnastics Federation Secretary General also spoke about the upcoming European Cup.

Nurlana Mammadzade explains why Baku is considered one of the centers of world rhythmic gymnastics

Group exercise gymnasts of the Russian national team from St. Petersburg spoke about their debut performance at the international arena in Beijing.Team gymnast Alisa Eremeeva shared her impressions and noted that the preparation for the tournament was one of the largest scale in the history of the team:<blockquote>“We are very happy. We are glad that it is over. We are happy that we were able to show such a result. We prepared a lot, for a very long time. Probably, it was one of the most large-scale preparations in the entire existence of our team. We were helped by Inna Valentinovna Bystrova, Natalia Alexandrovna Lashchinskaya, Tatiana Iosifovna Kolesnikova, our director, and, of course, Elena Anatolyevna, our coach, choreographers, and stage directors. We had assessment training sessions. Everything was reviewed, everything was counted, looked at where and what could be valid and what could not."&nbsp;</blockquote>The athlete shared that they followed the performances of their rivals:<blockquote>"We watched the performances of other teams. We watched something for ourselves, and fundamentally there was a desire to look at teams from other countries. We personally competed with the team of Belarus from those whom we knew directly. And we saw all the others for the first time."&nbsp;</blockquote>Agata Barekzai, Alisa Eremeeva, Arina Lavrenova, Anna Nikolaeva and Sofia Solonskaya took second place in the all-around and in the finals with five balls, as well as third place in the finals with three hoops and two pairs of clubs. Their coach is Elena Petunina.&nbsp;The gymnasts took second place at the Russian Championships, entered the roster of the national team and got the opportunity to represent the country at the world stage.

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Competitions

Agata Barekzai, Alisa Eremeeva, Arina Lavrenova, Anna Nikolaeva and Sofia Solonskaya took second place in the all-around and in the finals with five balls, as well as third place in the finals with three hoops and two pairs of clubs.

Group exercise gymnasts of the Russian national team from St. Petersburg spoke about their debut performance at the international arena in Beijing

Ekaterina Lots worked as a judge at the Rhythmic World Challenge Cup in Beijing.Ekaterina Olegovna spoke about the tournament and the warm welcome from the Chinese side:<blockquote>"The competitions were held at a very high level. We were greeted very warmly by the Chinese side. A large-scale tournament. There were a lot of interesting and promising gymnasts."&nbsp;</blockquote>She appreciated the performances of Russian gymnasts — Arina Kovshova from the Novosibirsk Region, Sofia Ilteryakova from Moscow and group exercise gymnasts from the Zhemchuzhina Center of Rhythmic Gymnastics:<blockquote>"Arina Kovshova performed excellently in the exercise with a hoop. The whole hall applauded her. The gymnast performed a very big difficulty of apparatus. Sofia Ilteryakova also pleased us, performed quite difficult elements of the body. Raffaeli pivot was a success, unlike in the all-around. Group exercise gymnasts are performing at the world stage for the first time, and for the first time at such competitions. And I believe that this is a decent result."</blockquote>

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Ekaterina Lots worked as a judge at the Rhythmic World Challenge Cup in Beijing.

"The whole hall applauded her!" Judge Ekaterina Lots speaks about Arina Kovshova's performance at the Rhythmic World Challenge Cup

Russian champion Arina Kovshova from the Novosibirsk Region and her coach Elizaveta Chernova shared their emotions after competing at the international tournament in Beijing.Arina thanked the audience for their support:<blockquote>&nbsp;“The audience was just incredible, the support. Thank you all very much! I felt proud that everything worked out and that I could stand and listen to the anthem.”&nbsp;</blockquote>Elizaveta Chernova summarized the gymnast's performance and shared the conclusions made after the start,&nbsp;<blockquote>“Yesterday, not everything went well, unfortunately, but we will draw conclusions and prepare more, get back into shape. We talked yesterday, went over the exercises, analyzed the mistakes: why was that so? We worked on the condition a little and calmed down a bit. Yes, we decided that today there is a chance to fix everything with new strength, in a good state and mood. The audience welcomes us so warmly here. We calmly tuned in to enjoy and get a thrill from what we do. And with the hoop, it probably worked out just fine. And, accordingly, when Arisha realized that she had won, she turned around and said, "Thank you very much, everything worked out." These are such positive emotions. Not everything went well in the ball, but we are also happy to have a medal. We will work on the mistakes. Regrettably, the clubs and the ribbon haven't worked out yet. But I hope that we will improve and show nevertheless a clean, good performance at the next competitions.”</blockquote>&nbsp;She also spoke about her preparation for the competition at the training camp in Kislovodsk:&nbsp;<blockquote>“We were at a training camp in Kislovodsk, before China. It was different to breathe there, of course. The camp was wonderful. Many thanks for sending us there. We prepared there, and everything was in a calmer mode, a little different. Our workload there was smaller, but they gave us a plan. Alina Maratovna was in touch with us. The girls had a walk in the morning, then training, and then recovery in the evening. There is a very good medical center there, the air there is very cool. Therefore, we were able to reload, recover, and prepare. Specialists came to visit us there. Irina Borisovna Zenovka helped us with the artistry. Victoria Sergeevna from Volgograd also came, helped, and refined the artistic accents."</blockquote>&nbsp;The specialist thanked everyone who helped and supported them:<blockquote>&nbsp;“We want to thank everyone who helped us, believed in us and supported us, Alina Maratovna for the opportunity provided. And for the fact that she is always in touch with us, believes in us no matter what, and supports us. To everyone, everyone, everyone: to the fans and to China for the hospitality. Thank you all so much. We love you! Many thanks to our loved ones!”&nbsp;</blockquote>At the Rhythmic World Challenge Cup, the gymnast won a gold medal in the hoop finals and a bronze medal in the ball finals Olga Minigalina and choreographer Ekaterina Belova also helped her in her preparations.&nbsp;Arina is the champion of Russia, lives and trains at the Alina Kabaeva Sky Grace Rhythmic Gymnastics Academy.

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At the Rhythmic World Challenge Cup, the gymnast won a gold medal in the hoop finals and a bronze medal in the ball finals.

Arina Kovshova and her coach Elizaveta Chernova shared their emotions after performing at the Rhythmic World Challenge Cup in Beijing

Group exercise gymnasts of the Russian national team from the Zhemchuzhina Center of Rhythmic Gymnastics won bronze in the exercise with three hoops and two pairs of clubs at the Rhythmic World Challenge Cup.&nbsp;The lineup of the team from the Zhemchuzhina Center of Rhythmic Gymnastics: Agata Barekzai, Alisa Eremeeva, Arina Lavrenova, Anna Nikolaeva and Sofia Solonskaya. Elena Petunina is the coach.&nbsp;The gold medal was won by gymnasts from China, and the group exercise gymnasts from Belarus took silver.

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The gold medal was won by gymnasts from China, and the group exercise gymnasts from Belarus took silver.

Group exercise gymnasts of the Russian national team from the Zhemchuzhina Center of Rhythmic Gymnastics won bronze in the exercise with three hoops and two pairs of clubs at the Rhythmic World Challenge Cup.

Sofia Ilteryakova from Moscow won gold medals in the clubs and ribbon routines at the Rhythmic World Challenge Cup in Beijing. Her coach is Natalia Glemba, and the choreographer is Ekaterina Sergeeva.&nbsp;In the clubs event, second place was taken by Wang Qi from China, and third place was won by Liliana Lewinska from Poland. Wang Qi and Natalia Usova from Uzbekistan won medals in the ribbon.&nbsp;Sofia came in second in the all-around earlier and also won gold in the ball and bronze in the hoop.

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In the clubs event, second place was taken by Wang Qi from China, and third place was won by Liliana Lewinska from Poland. Wang Qi and Natalia Usova from Uzbekistan won medals in the ribbon. 

Sofia Ilteryakova won gold medals in the clubs and ribbon routines at the Rhythmic World Challenge Cup in Beijing

Arina Kovshova from the Novosibirsk region won two medals in individual finals at the Rhythmic World Challenge Cup in Beijing.The gymnast won gold in the hoop exercise. The second place went to Chinese athlete Wang Qi, and the third place went to Sofia Ilteryakova from Moscow.&nbsp;Arina also won a bronze medal in the ball exercise. Sofia Ilteryakova from Moscow became the first, and Wang Qi from China became the second.&nbsp;Arina's coaches are Elizaveta Chernova, Olga Minigalina, and the choreographer is Ekaterina Belova.Arina is a Russian champion. Arina, a Russian champion, is part of the National team main roster, and lives and trains at the Alina Kabaeva Sky Grace Rhythmic Gymnastics Academy.

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A gymnast from the Novosibirsk Region won gold in the hoop exercise and bronze in the ball exercise.

Arina Kovshova won gold and bronze medals at the Rhythmic World Challenge Cup in Beijing

The Russian team from the Zhemchuzhina Gymnastics Center won silver in the five-ball event at the Rhythmic World Challenge Cup in Beijing.The team members are Agata Barekzai, Alisa Eremeeva, Arina Lavrenova, Anna Nikolaeva, and Sofia Solonskaya. Their coach is Elena Petunina.The gymnasts from China won the championship, while the team from Uzbekistan took bronze.

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The gymnasts from China won the championship, while the team from Uzbekistan took bronze.


The Russian team from the Zhemchuzhina Gymnastics Center won silver in the five-ball event at the Rhythmic World Challenge Cup in Beijing

Arina Kovshova from the Novosibirsk Region won gold in the hoop final at the Rhythmic World Challenge Cup in Beijing.Gymnast's coaches are Elizaveta Chernova and Olga Minigalina, and her choreographer is Ekaterina Belova.Second place went to Chinese athlete Wang Qi, and third place went to Sofia Ilteriakova from Moscow.Arina and Sofia are both members of the Russian National team. Arina, a Russian champion, lives and trains at the Alina Kabaeva Sky Grace Rhythmic Gymnastics Academy.

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Second place went to Chinese athlete Wang Qi, and third place went to Sofia Ilteriakova from Moscow.


Arina Kovshova won gold in the hoop final at the Rhythmic World Challenge Cup in Beijing

Alina Kabaeva Sky Grace Rhythmic Gymnastics Academy and the Sky Grace International Association congratulate their medical workers on their professional holiday.Your work requires tremendous responsibility, professionalism, and genuine care for others. Every day, you help maintain health, recover from injuries and stress, and support them during the most important and challenging moments.At the Academy, the medical staff is a reliable support system for every athlete. Thanks to your attention, knowledge, and experience, gymnasts can fully train, recover, and move towards new heights.We wish you good health, prosperity, professional success, and as many reasons to smile and enjoy!

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Academy Life

Alina Kabaeva Sky Grace Rhythmic Gymnastics Academy and the Sky Grace International Association congratulate their medical workers on their professional holiday.

Congratulations on the Day of the medical worker!

Chinese fan Yu Junting, who came to the Rhythmic World Challenge Cup with posters of Russian gymnasts, explained why she supports Sofia Ilteryakova from Moscow and Arina Kovshova from the Novosibirsk Region:<blockquote>“I think these competitions are going very well. Both the venue and the organization of the tournament are incredible. I saw Sofia become a champion at the competition this year. After that, I subscribed to her and noticed that her elements are quite difficult. At the same time, she performs them very smoothly, and I really like it. That's her style. I liked Arina when I saw her performance with the ball. I really like this program, she performs it very, very smoothly, very elegantly and sensually. That's why I especially like this particular program of hers. Her other performances are also very good, but I still like this program with the ball the most.”&nbsp;</blockquote>The gymnasts are in the Russian national team roster. Arina is the champion of Russia, lives and trains at the Alina Kabaeva Sky Grace Rhythmic Gymnastics Academy.

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She shared why she supports Sofia Ilteryakova from Moscow and Arina Kovshova from the Novosibirsk region.