Simona Peycheva of Bulgaria, a guest of honor at the Sky Grace Cup International Tournament and Beijing Top Open 2025, recounted her decision to renounce her 2001 World Championship medals.At that time, the 16-year-old gymnast placed third in the hoop, ball, and clubs events in Madrid. After the decision to annul the results of Russian gymnasts Alina Kabaeva and Irina Chashchina, Simona took first place.However, the athlete disagreed. Full Simona's comment:<div data-component="video" data-props="{&quot;materialId&quot;:7422,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Симона Пейчева рассказала, как отказалась от медалей чемпионата мира 2001 года&quot;,&quot;externalCdnLink&quot;:null,&quot;video&quot;:{&quot;subDir&quot;:&quot;179/661&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;179661df8f324807c7cc5f.mp4&quot;}}"></div>

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Competitions

At that time, the 16-year-old gymnast placed third in the hoop, ball, and clubs events in Madrid. After the decision to annul the results of Russian gymnasts Alina Kabaeva and Irina Chashchina, Simona took first place. However, the athlete disagreed. 

Simona Peycheva of Bulgaria recounted her decision to renounce her 2001 World Championship medals. Video comment

After competing at the New Look Cup international tournament, gymnasts went on a tour. They visited the Georgian Military Highway and saw the Arch of Friendship.Participating in the competition in Tbilisi were Anna Vakulenko, Karolina Pakhtusova, and Alexandra Borisova from the Academy, as well as Milena Bukina, Arina Tkachuk, and Sofia Lantsova.Our athletes competed under neutral status.

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Participating in the competition in Tbilisi were Anna Vakulenko, Karolina Pakhtusova, and Alexandra Borisova from the Academy, as well as Milena Bukina, Arina Tkachuk, and Sofia Lantsova.

After competing at the New Look Cup tournament, gymnasts visited the Georgian Military Highway

After competing at the Sky Grace Cup International Tournament and Beijing Top Open 2025, the gymnasts visited the Great Wall of China — China's most famous ancient architectural monument.The tour was put together by the organizers of the international tournament.

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Sky Grace

The tour was put together by the organizers of the international tournament.

The gymnasts visited the Great Wall of China

2020 Tokyo Olympic champion Linoy Ashram was the guest of honor at the Sky Grace Cup International Tournament and Beijing Top Open 2025, and we had a chance to speak with her.She spoke about the atmosphere of the competition.<blockquote>"It’s my second time in China, so it’s really beautiful city and country. I travel here and I like the people here, everyone is warm and like, I get a really good feeling. And when I came to this gym, it's a big gym, the first thing I told to Laurie it’s like “I feel like I’m in the World Championship”.&nbsp; Because it’s a big hall, a lot of gymnasts, and a lot of coaches and judges. And it’s a beautiful place, so I was excited."</blockquote>Linoy also shared her impressions of meeting the Olympic champions in rhythmic gymnastics.<blockquote>"I was excited to meet them, because I think the only one that I meet before was Kanaeva, like, personally.&nbsp; But I was excited.&nbsp; It’s not every day that all the Olympic Champions are together and there are like in one competition. So I think it’s once in life."</blockquote>

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Opinion

2020 Tokyo Olympic champion Linoy Ashram was the guest of honor at the Sky Grace Cup International Tournament and Beijing Top Open 2025, and we had a chance to speak with her.

Linoy Ashram shared her impressions of the Sky Grace Cup International Tournament

People's Artist of Russia Nikolay Tsiskaridze was one of the gala show hosts at the Sky Grace Cup International Tournament and Beijing Top Open 2025.&nbsp;After the concert, he shared his impressions of the performance featuring three-time all-around champion of our tournament, Lala Kramarenko, and Bolshoi Ballet soloist Mark Orlov.<blockquote>"I have known Lalochka for a long time; she is a brilliant person in sports, arts, very creative. And she has already danced with more than one of my students. I am always very happy for her success; I have followed her closely. I really wanted her to perform with Mark to my favorite music, in the role I have played for so many years. What I saw was very beautiful, very harmonious. And you are once again convinced that ballet cannot exist without rhythmic gymnastics thus far. And rhythmic gymnastics would not exist without ballet. And it is so nice when we do such experiments; Alina always includes something related to ballet in her galas. And it is always majestic, unusual, because, gymnastics based on classical dance has gone so far that we are now always catching up. And every time I see the achievements, the successes of our gymnasts on the mat, I always borrow something; as a teacher, I borrow a lot. And I think that for Mark, for a person who goes on stage, today was a very important performance because he felt a completely different horizon."</blockquote>The specialist also discussed the importance of uniting sport and art.<blockquote>"Without Russian ballet, there would be no such rhythmic gymnastics. No one will ever catch up with us; no one will ever defeat us in this sport because we have such ballet, because it is completely based on our traditions."</blockquote>

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People's Artist of Russia Nikolay Tsiskaridze was one of the gala show hosts at the Sky Grace Cup International Tournament and Beijing Top Open 2025. 

"Once again, I'm convinced that ballet can't exist without rhythmic gymnastics"

The artificial intelligence that judged the artistry summarized the gymnasts' performances at the Sky Grace Cup International Tournament and Beijing Top Open 2025.And the ball of Alina Harnasko from Belarus and the ribbon of Aibota Yertaikyzy from Kazakhstan were recognized as the best routines.Both gymnasts scored 86 points out of 100.

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They are the ball of Alina Harnasko from Belarus and the ribbon of Aibota Yertaikyzy.

Artificial intelligence has identified the best exercises at the Beijing competition in terms of artistry

Alexandra Borisova became the bronze medalist in the individual all-around among the seniors at the New Look Cup international tournament staged in Tbilisi! Sasha also took third place in the clubs event. Her coach is Irina Gusarova, and her choreographer is Elena Egorova.&nbsp;Maria Avgousti from Cyprus became the champion. Govkhar Ibragimova from Azerbaijan came in second. Milena Bukina, Arina Tkachuk, and Anna Vakulenko (coached by Evgenia Eliseeva and Elena Egorova) took places from the fourth to the sixth one.Among juniors, the best was Sofia Lantsova. Silver and bronze went to Shams Aghahuseynova from Azerbaijan and Milla Shavladze from Georgia. Another one of our athletes, Karolina Pakhtusova, stopped just short of the podium. Her coaches are Alina and Irina Gusarova, and the choreographer is Elena Egorova.At the tournament, athletes from Russia competed under a neutral status.

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The gymnast also took third place in the clubs event. Her coach is Irina Gusarova, and her choreographer is Elena Egorova.

Alexandra Borisova — the bronze medalist in the individual all-around among the seniors at the New Look Cup international tournament

<blockquote>"Dear friends!I congratulate everyone on the successful completion of our anniversary international tournament in Beijing, and I would like to sincerely thank everyone who contributed to the organization, both on the Russian and Chinese side.&nbsp; &nbsp;Throughout the tournament, you devoted your energy and strength to ensuring everything ran at the highest level. The magnificent atmosphere in the arena, the colorful venue decor, and the high-quality television broadcast, all of this was made possible by your hard work, dedication, and teamwork. &nbsp;Thank you to our Chinese colleagues for their hospitality and willingness to help! Sport should unite nations, and we've proven this time and again.Also, for the first time in the history of rhythmic gymnastics, we’ve introduced artificial intelligence-based judging. Its use is intended to make scoring more objective and open up new horizons for the sport's development.I'm sure the competition will be long remembered by spectators and participants. See you next year!"</blockquote>The Association's co-organizers of the Beijing tournament included the Beijing Municipal Sports Bureau, the Shijingshan District People's Government, the Beijing Sports Competitions Administration and International Exchange Center, HC Beijing Kunlun Red Star Co., Ltd., Beijing Everbright Connect Culture Corp., the Beijing Gymnastics Association, and the Shijingshan District Sports Bureau. The competition was supported by the Chinese Embassy in Russia and the Russian Embassy in China.

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Alina Kabaeva

Olympic champion and President of the Sky Grace International Association for Sport Support Alina Kabaeva thanked everyone who participated in organizing the tournament in Beijing.

Alina Kabaeva’s gratitude to everyone who participated in organizing the tournament in Beijing

<blockquote>"Our fifth, anniversary international tournament was the largest in its history. This year, more than 200 athletes from over 30 participated in it.&nbsp;&nbsp;From the bottom of my heart, I want to thank every gymnast for their courage, hard work, and desire to develop this wonderful sport. You achieved incredible results, and each of your performances was unique and memorable.Special thanks to the coaches. Thanks to your professionalism and patience, new stars of rhythmic gymnastics are growing.I also thank the judges for their impartiality and attentiveness. Your objective judging is the key to a fair competition.The tournament is over, but it will remain in our hearts forever! See you at the next competition!”</blockquote>

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Olympic champion Alina Kabaeva, President of the Sky Grace International Association, thanked all the gymnasts, coaches, and judges after the competition in Beijing.

Alina Kabaeva’s gratitude to the gymnasts, coaches, and judges after the competition in Beijing

Olympic champion Alina Kabaeva told about the goals of the tournaments under auspices of the Sky Grace International Association on the air with Match TV.<blockquote>"We share a common goal, which developing rhythmic gymnastics, because it's a sport of the highest achievements. We're part of the Olympic family. And I hope that if the International Gymnastics Federation sees our work and adopts some of our rules, we'll be thrilled. I really want sports to be outside of politics. Sport and culture, they should unite nations. That's what we're doing".</blockquote>Watch the full version<a href="https://matchtv.ru/gimnastika/matchtvnews_NI2267116_Alina_Kabajeva_My_budem_tolko_rady_jesli_mezhdunarodnaja_federacija_uvidit_nashi_narabotki_i_chto_to_vozmet_v_svoi_pravila?ysclid=mi1b1d3m9w30078185 "> here</a>.&nbsp;

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The Olympic champion told about this on the Match TV channel.

"Sports, culture — they must unite the peoples. This is what we are dealing with"

Today marks the All-Russian Sambo Day!November 16 is considered the birthday of sambo, as in 1938 the Sports Committee of the USSR issued an order On Development of Freestyle Wrestling (Sambo).The holiday was officially established by a decree of the President of the Russian Federation in 2022. On this day, festive events and tournaments are held across the country.We congratulate all sambo enthusiasts, athletes, and their coaches!

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MA Academy

November 16 is considered the birthday of sambo, as in 1938 the Sports Committee of the USSR issued an order On Development of Freestyle Wrestling (Sambo).