Azerbaijan wins three medals at world gymnastics championships

A total of 367 gymnasts from six continents competed at the 39th World Championships, held in Nanjing, China, from November 4 to 8. They contested 16 world titles.

Gold and silver in tumbling

The team of Mikhail Malkin, Tofiq Aliyev, Adil Hajizada and Alexey Karatashov topped the qualifying standings. The Azerbaijan team scored 25 points in the final to win gold, finishing one point ahead of Denmark and five ahead of the United States. Azerbaijan has now won the team tumbling world title for the third time, following its victories in 2023 and 2025.

Tofiq Aliyev won silver in individual tumbling, scoring 29.700 points in the final. It was his first individual silver medal at a world championships. Portugal’s Vasco Peso won gold, while the United States’ Caden Brown took bronze.

Mikhail Malkin was eliminated in the round of 16. Alexey Karatashov scored 54.400 points to place 11th in the first qualifying round, then finished 13th with 26.800 in the second. Adil Hajizada scored 52.900 points to place 19th in the first round. Karatashov and Huseyn Abbasov competed at the senior world championships for the first time.

Silver in trampoline gymnastics

Sibling pair Seljan and Mahsud Mahsudov scored 52.010 points in the mixed synchronised final to win silver. It was the first silver medal for Azerbaijan in the event at a world championships. Gymnasts from Belarus won gold, while Japan’s representatives took bronze.

Seljan Mahsudova scored 56.140 points to finish sixth in the individual trampoline semifinals and qualify for the final. She placed six spots ahead of Paris 2024 Olympic champion Bryony Page in that round. In the final on November 8, Mahsudova scored 56.580 points to finish sixth.

In the men’s individual trampoline event, Mahsud Mahsudov finished 20th in the semifinals with 37.850 points. The synchronised pair of Mahsudov and Huseyn Abbasov scored 50.900 in the first qualifying round to advance, then placed 15th in the next round. The Azerbaijani gymnasts’ three-medal achievement coincided with the eve of Victory Day on November 8 and the holiday itself.