Idman.biz
Today, April 8, the European Championship in trampoline gymnastics, double mini-trampoline and tumbling starts in Portimao, Portugal.
As a correspondent for Idman.Biz, I am working with the Azerbaijani delegation at the scene and watched how the team was preparing for one of the main starts of the season the day before the competition.
The Azerbaijani national team arrived in Portugal with special feelings, as the athletes and coaches themselves admit, they have almost returned home. They are often here: the country regularly hosts major tournaments and festivals. Portimao is a quiet and sunny place. True, the Portuguese weather also knows how to surprise: during the day, locals and tourists swim in the ocean, and in the evening they return home under a downpour.
A relaxed atmosphere and sincerity are felt within the team. Despite being involved in different types, the athletes are together, joking, supporting each other. One of the moments that added a new color to the team's mood was getting acquainted with the arena. True, while waiting for accreditation, we also managed to visit the fair located in the same area. There, our gymnast Tofig Aliyev, keeping up with the trends, was filming what was happening through camera glasses. So, what he recorded, probably, will be possible to see on his social network account in the near future.
The competition hall greets us unexpectedly - with a design in light pink tones. This color is reminiscent of marshmallows and amazingly harmonizes with blue trampolines, stripes and stands, matching the colors of European Gymnastics. For viewers, this is almost an aesthetic pleasure. But it is not known how this affects the athletes, in any case, they will not have time to pay attention to it during the performance.
The first training session was more of an introductory nature: it was necessary to adapt to the lighting, design, and equipment. After that, the team went to the hotel, but the rest did not last long. After a while, the trampoline gymnastics team gathered again in the hotel lobby - for a "recovery training", as one of the coaches said.
The training started with some running and warm-up exercises, and I decided to join my athletes so as not to lag behind. It is difficult to say how often journalists have the opportunity to train with the national team, but perhaps we were the first. Without going into details, it can be said that I allegedly learned to do somersaults in a few days. In fact, my enthusiasm ended approximately at the moment when the push-ups began.
The next day - the last day before the start - already felt different. There was pre-competition tension in the air. However, the training sessions went more smoothly: the field already seemed more familiar, and the movements were more confident.
There was also an opportunity to get to know the arena better. A Portuguese media service employee gave a small tour and helped organize mini-interviews with a representative of European Gymnastics, as well as the president of the local federation. It is always particularly pleasing that the organizers are open and attentive to journalists, and it is doubly pleasant to hear them talk with admiration about Azerbaijani athletes. This once again confirms their status in the international arena.
And here it is - the main day. The coaches are excited, although they try not to show it. They admit that every competition is like the first one. Today, young trampoline gymnasts will join the fight, as well as the adult tumbling competitions among men will start.
The opening ceremony will take place at the end of the day.
Idman.Biz continues to follow the course of events.
Let us remind you that the European Championship will last until April 12.
