MADRID: Kuwaiti female gymnasts excelled at the three-day international rhythmic gymnastics tournament, the Guimagym Cup 2024, held in Guimaraes, Portugal, featuring over 200 competitors from nine countries. Five Kuwaiti gymnasts, aged 10 to 13, won medals in their age groups at the international tournament which concluded on Sunday.

In a statement to KUNA, the Kuwaiti team’s coach, Iryna Kovalchuk, expressed her pride in the team’s accomplishments, Layan Behbehani, 13, won three bronze medals in the hoop, ribbon, and clubs categories.

Sarah Al-Bannai, 12, secured a gold in the ball competition and a silver in the hoop competition, and Nabila Al-Kharafi, 11, earned two gold medals with the ball and clubs. While Raya Al-Qassar, also 11, took home a clubs silver and a bronze in the ball competition, Talia Behbehani, 10, won two golds in the freehand and ball competition. Kovalchuk, who has coached the team since 2020, highlighted the athletes’ dedication and shared that the gymnasts trained intensively, including a specialized training camp in Baku, Azerbaijan.

The team maintains a rigorous schedule of four hours of training daily, sometimes extending to seven hours in preparation for competitions. Kuwait’s Ambassador to Portugal, Hamad Al-Hazeem congratulated the team, affirming Kuwait’s commitment to supporting its athletes abroad, and emphasized that this support aligns with directives from His Highness the Amir Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah and Foreign Minister Abdullah Al-Yahya. Ambassador Al-Hazeem, who accompanied the Kuwaiti delegation, noted that sports diplomacy was a key element of Kuwait’s efforts on the international stage, fostering cultural exchange, tolerance, and cooperation among nations, as well as strengthening bilateral relations.

The Guimagym Cup 2024 hosted participants from Kuwait, Portugal, Spain, Brazil, France, Georgia, Greece, Norway and Switzerland. — KUNA