Azerbaijani gymnasts will perform at the FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Cup in Baku with an entirely new program, the head coach of the Azerbaijani national gymnastics team, Rza Aliyev, told Vestnik Kavkaza.
"We prepared this program specifically for the World Cup in Baku. It was due to the fact that the rules were changed after the New Year. According to which, the program was re-composed. We worked it out for two months," the coach said.
"There will be two gymnasts from Azerbaijan. Murad Agarzayev recently become a senior from juniors and, of course, he's a little nervous, as the Cup will be his debut. Bense Talas, our new legionnaire, is more relaxed about the tournament. There was control training before the Cup, and they were without fails, our gymnasts have done everything that has been demanded of them. We hope that they will perform at the competitions successful as well," Rza Aliyev noted.
The coach added that Murad Agarzayev was born in Sumgait and practiced there until 9 years old. "Then he moved to Baku, where he studied at the sports Olympic lyceum. Murad has been in the national team for already three years and is doing well," he said.
The Azerbaijani contenders intend to advance to the World Cup finals. "There are strong competitors, Olympic champions, winners of European and world championships, in general this year the athletes are stronger than in the past year, the competition will be strong. Murad has the highest chances in the floor exercises, Bense - in the vault and on the rings," Rza Aliyev concluded.
The FIG Artistic Gymnastics Individual Apparatus World Cup will be held in Baku on March 16-19. Athletes from 23 countries will compete for 10 medal sets.
