"It's obvious that there are professionals working with the children!" Liliya Shafeeva talks about Academy students
Liliya Shafeeva is the Vice President of the Tatarstan Rhythmic Gymnastics Federation.
She talked about why it’s important for the region to host international competitions.
"We, Tatarstan, are the sports capital of Russia. Therefore, we are happy to host any events, all the sports competition entrusted to us. And it is so joyful when you see the result, when you see the excited eyes of children. Especially when they succeed and they say, they later will look back and say, ‘And we started in Kazan, our first competition was in Kazan!’ This is a memory for a lifetime," she said.
Liliya also noted the progress of the Academy's students, including Malika Timurshina and Elina Khabarova from Kazan.
"I am very happy to see how children, the students of the Alina Kabaeva Sky Grace Rhythmic Gymnastics Academy, are growing. We saw them when they were very young and see the ones coming now. We saw the group exercise team, what this team has evolved into at present. It is seen that professionals are working with the children. That is why their strong growth is visible. The girls, both Malika and Elina. They started practicing exactly here, in the gymnastics center, in the Yulia Barsukova School. These children were always in sight, we always followed them, provided them with opportunities. And now, the fact that they are practicing at the Sky Grace, that they were taken on board — this is happiness actually! This is happiness for children, this is joy for coaches, for parents, and for us".
She thanked the International Association for providing junior group skaters from Tatarstan with the opportunity to compete under a quota at the third stage of the Cup of the Strongest.
"Special thanks exactly as from the head of the republican federation of the Republic of Tatarstan, that the quota was given to our team, to the juniors, to perform at the group exercises from the Sky Grace Association," Liliya said.