The first Open IBFF Fit Kids Azerbaijan Championship has been held at the Sports Palace of Azerbaijan Technical University, bringing together young athletes from Azerbaijan, Poland and Russia.
Before the competition began, participants and guests observed a minute of silence in memory of the martyrs of the 44-day Patriotic War and National Leader Heydar Aliyev. The Azerbaijan National Anthem was then performed.
The opening ceremony featured performances by the Dan Ulduzu dance group from Children's Creativity Centre No. 4 and students of Planet FitKids & Dance Academy, who entertained the audience with vibrant artistic displays.
IBFF Fit Kids Azerbaijan President Dr Elnur Shikhaliev, an International Master of Sport and international-category judge, welcomed the participants. He highlighted the importance of developing children's fitness, promoting healthy lifestyles and encouraging young people to take part in regular physical activity. He also wished the competitors success and outstanding results.
The young athletes competed in three age groups: 5-8, 9-11 and 12-14. The championship featured five disciplines: Acro Dance, Fitness Dance, Miss & Mr Fitness, Fitness Stamina and Improvisation.
Throughout the competition, participants demonstrated their technical skills, physical endurance, flexibility, artistry, creativity and stage presence.
The participation of athletes from Poland and Russia gave the event an international dimension, marking an important step towards strengthening cooperation in children's fitness.
The chief judge was Grzegorz Belec, president of the Polish FitKids Federation.
Azerbaijan was represented on the judging panel by Farid Kazakov, a renowned dancer, choreographer and ballet artist who has worked in Azerbaijan and Russia. A world champion and multiple European dance champion, he has also been named Russia's Best Soloist three times.
His achievements include the international Most Fashionable Awards, reaching the final of the international talent show Central Asia's Got Talent, receiving the title of Turkiye's Most Talented Dancer and winning the Türkiye Zirve Ödülleri award, as well as two national awards in Azerbaijan.
Kazakov is a highest-category educator and an honorary member and ambassador for Azerbaijan and Turkiye at the European Cultural Association. He graduated from the Baku Choreography Academy and the Moscow State Institute of Culture and has repeatedly won international, national and country-level competitions, including Grand Prix awards.
His name is included in Azerbaijanis at the Summit (Zirvədəki Azərbaycanlılar), a book recognizing outstanding representatives of Azerbaijani youth in the 21st century and published under the names of the President of Azerbaijan and the First Vice-President.
Reflecting on the championship, Kazakov praised the high standard of organisation and outlined plans to further develop children's fitness in Azerbaijan.
"As an artist who has represented our country on the international stage since a young age, and as an educator, I believe it is particularly important to support the development of our children, help them realise their potential and encourage their professional growth.
"IBFF Fit Kids Azerbaijan is making every effort to create the necessary conditions. We are holding seminars for teachers and plan to organize large-scale master classes for children in the future. Another goal is to encourage young athletes from different regions of Azerbaijan to take part in training sessions and competitions.
"I would like to express my gratitude to the President of Azerbaijan and the First Vice-President of Azerbaijan for their comprehensive support for children's sports in our country," Kazakov said.
One of the highlights of the championship was the victory of Eva Kovalenko, one of Kazakov's students. She claimed the Azerbaijani championship title in Fitness Dance, Category A, in the 9-11 age group.
The performances were judged and the final results determined in accordance with the technical regulations of the International FitKids Federation (IBFF Fit Kids).
At the end of the competition, the winners and runners-up received diplomas, medals, trophies and gifts from sponsors.
Another important highlight was the allocation of qualification places for the upcoming European Championship. By decision of the judging panel, two athletes who won their respective age categories in Acro Dance earned the right to represent their countries at the continental event.
The European Championship is scheduled to take place in Vienna, Austria, in February 2027.
The inaugural Open IBFF Fit Kids Azerbaijan Championship marked an important milestone in the development of children's fitness in Azerbaijan. Bringing together young athletes from three countries, the event gave participants an opportunity to showcase their abilities on an international stage and opened up new prospects for their sporting careers.
Competitions of this kind help promote healthy lifestyles, strengthen children's sports and identify emerging talent, giving young athletes the opportunity to represent Azerbaijan on the international stage.