By Trend

From an organizational point of view, the Azerbaijan Gymnastics Federation is ready to host the 37th FIG Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships, Secretary General of the Azerbaijan Gymnastics Federation Nurlana Mammadzade told reporters in Baku, Trend reports.

"Today, the official representatives of the International Gymnastics Federation arrived in Baku,” she said. “They reviewed a competition hall. As for the ticket sales, more than 8,500 tickets were sold. We are pleased that 45 percent of them were purchased through an online system by foreign fans.”

“Along with fans from neighboring countries, namely Russia and Turkey, the fans of rhythmic gymnastics from Croatia, Israel, Italy, Spain, Japan, Paraguay and other countries will arrive in Baku," Mammadzade added.

“The members of the national team who will participate in the World Championships have been training intensively for a long time,” she said.

“Zohra Aghamirova, Veronika Hudis, Yelizaveta Luzan and Maryam Safarova will represent Azerbaijan in the individual competition,” Mammadzade added. “Diana Ahmadbayli, Ayshen Bayramova, Aliya Pashayeva, Zeynab Hummatova and Daria Sorokina will perform in the group exercises. Despite the responsibility for performing well during the World Championships is increasing as gymnasts will perform in their native country, we hope that they will do their best."

Mammadzade stressed that over 150 athletes involved in the individual program, as well as 24 teams involved in group exercises, will take part in the World Championships in Baku.

“The interest in these competitions is great as the winners will get an opportunity to participate in 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan,” she said. “The gymnasts who will rank the first 16 places in the individual all-around program will get an opportunity to participate in the 2020 Olympic Games. As for the teams involved in group exercises, following the results of the last year’s World Cup, the teams of Bulgaria, Russia and Italy have already obtained an opportunity to participate in the 2020 Olympic Games. Five more teams involved in the Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships in Baku will also have an opportunity to participate in the 2020 Olympic Games.”

Mammadzade also spoke about the competition program.

"The qualifying competitions will be held in the individual program on September 16, 17, 18 and 19,” she said. “The finals in individual apparatus will be held on September 17 and 19. The winners in the team competition will be named on September 19. The all-around competitions among gymnasts will be held on September 20.

“The teams involved in group exercises will perform during the competition on September 21-22,” she said. “The winners in the all-around competitions will perform in exercises with individual apparatus (5 balls, 3 hoops and 2 pairs of clubs)."

Mammadzade also added that the opening ceremony of the 37th Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships will be very interesting and spectacular.

“The artistic part of the opening ceremony is based on oriental features,” she said. “The show is called “Tale of the East”. Famous performers will also take part in the ceremony.”

“If anyone has not yet purchased the ticket, we recommend hurrying to obtain the ticket to see the opening ceremony and the competitions," Mammadzade said.