At the end of the Olympic year, it was time to bid farewell in the world of rhythmic gymnastics. Several leading athletes, including Azerbaijan's Zohra Aghamirova and Zeynab Hummatova, have announced their retirement.
After the Paris Olympics, a list of gymnasts retiring from professional sports was compiled by Idman.biz.
Zohra Aghamirova
Aghamirova had a career filled with significant milestones. She became the first local gymnast to qualify for the Olympics in individual competition. Zohra competed in Tokyo and later in Paris for her second Olympics.
Her first major achievement was winning a gold medal with the team at the 2017 Islamic Solidarity Games in Baku. Four years later, she triumphed in three events at the same competition in Konya.
One of the most memorable moments for Aghamirova was winning a bronze medal in the ball event at the European Championships in Baku. "It was the most unforgettable moment; my coaches were very pleased. At that time, I was very proud of myself," recalls the athlete.
Aghamirova leaves behind a shining legacy in Azerbaijani gymnastics.
Zeynab Hummatova (center in the photo)
Zeynab concludes her career as the most experienced gymnast of the current group team. She has placed on the podium at both World and European Championships and contributed to the team's success, including two gold medals and one silver at the Islamic Solidarity Games in Konya. Hummatova also participated in two Olympic Games, and the group team achieved its highest Olympic ranking by finishing fifth in Paris.
"We are proud to be among the best at the Olympics. We are happy with our performance. Our coach is satisfied, which means we are on the right track. I wish the team success and even greater results," said Hummatova after the final performance.
Zeynab's retirement coincides with her marriage, and now all that's left is to wish her happiness in her family life.
Milena Baldassarri
Milena Baldassarri from Italy is rightfully considered one of the most graceful representatives of world gymnastics. She has competed in Baku multiple times and was always warmly welcomed, calling our capital her second home. Baldassarri also participated in a gala show in Sheki two years ago to mark the 20th anniversary of the national federation's reorganization.
She has won all the major awards in world championships. In personal achievements, the 2018 World Championship in Sofia was particularly successful for her, where she claimed a silver medal in ribbon, a bronze in ball, and a gold in team competition. This year, at the European Championship in Budapest, Milena earned a silver medal in the team competition.
Boryana Kaleyn
Boryana Kalein, a gymnast from Bulgaria, has performed at the highest level for many years. At the European Championship in Baku last year, she won the all-around and team titles, along with silver in clubs and bronze in ball, ribbon, and hoop events. This year, at the European Championship in Budapest, she won the gold in hoop.
At the 2023 World Championship in Valencia, Kaleyn won gold with her team and silver in both hoop and ribbon events. Finally, at the Paris Olympics, the Bulgarian gymnast earned a silver medal.
"The time has come to conclude the main phase of my life – my active sports career. Artistic gymnastics has been a big part of my life, and it will always remain so," Kaleyn stated.
Daria Atamanov
The star of Israeli gymnast Daria Atamanov shone brightly last year at the Continental Championships in her home country. In Tel Aviv, she climbed the podium five times – winning gold in the all-around, silver in clubs, ribbon, and hoop, and bronze in the team competition. Daria also won a bronze medal at the World Championship in Valencia.
After the Paris Olympics, it was expected that Atamanov would continue competing, but she decided to retire. This is another proof that the career span of gymnasts is quite short.
Idman.biz
