So what s Lubi GAZOV up to these days?

Austria's successful
aerobics athlete Lubi Gazov

She was the aerobics-figurehead of the Austrian Gymnastics Association ÖFT and the best aerobics athlete for some years. The association placed great hopes in her future, and she not only one many titles in Austria, but also did very well at international competitions, sometimes winning, but always making the top ranks. But then suddenly we heard no more of her...

Just before the "Austrian Sportaerobic Open" in October 2006 the native Bulgarian suddenly announced: „Sports aerobics is the love of my life. I have done my utmost to succed in this sport and always will. But now I have found a new challenge..."

A straddle jump almost to the ceiling...
Austria's aerobics talent Lubi Gazov trains at the Linz Olympic Centre

>> GYMmedia International
talked to Lubi Gazov, who will be 18 in March:

We haven't heard of you in a long while. How are you?
Thanks, I'm very well.

Who's training you at the moment?
I've been doing competitive aerobics six times a week for about six years now. I train at the"Olympiazentrum auf der Gugl" for five to six hours a day. My trainer is my mother, Petra Gazov.

In October you created havoc by announcing that you were going to join FISAF...
I have participated in competitions organised by various associations such as IAF, ANAC and FIG. FISAF was a new challenge for me, I wanted to get to know this association as well. So my mother established contact with FISAF and registered Austria with this association as well.

What distinguishes this association from others?
FISAF is very interesting, because the competions mostly concern fitness. In this associations mainly groups participate and this is what, in my opinion, makes the competions run by this association so attractive.

Does this mean you may be joining a group?
No, I will continue to concentrate on the single category of sports aerobics and will continue to work only in this direction in the future.

What are your sporting goals for 2007?
As I have to sit my school-leaving exams this year, I'm concentrating on school at the moment - I go to the Sport Borg High School in Linz. I won't take part in a more important competition till July 2007. Then I want to take part in the International ANAC Championships, although I will remain a member of FIG .

Lubi Gazov in 2006

And what comes then? After all, as of 2007 you will be competing in the adult category.
It's my greatest goal to be one of the world's leading three aerobics sportswomen one day. I'm training hard to fulfill this aim.

What do you hope for the future of aerobics?
It would be great if all the aerobics associations could come together one day. I think that only together we will be unbeatable.

Lubi GAZOV:
'... Aerobics is only unbeatable
if it is united!'

Lubi Gazov's greatest susccesses:

>> 2006:
- Champion of the ANAC World Aerobic Showcase in Los Angeles
- Bronze medal at the Suzuki Worldcup in Tokio
- Gold medal at the Slovak Open in Nove Zamky

>> 2005:
- FIG-Worldcup-Winner U18 in Mexiko
- Silver medal at the World Cup in Sofia/Bulgaria

>> 2004
- Gold medal at the Slovak Open in Nove Zamky
- Bronze medal at the Suzuki World Cup in Nagoya
- 7. place at the 1. Age Group Competiton in Sofia/Bulgaria

>> 2003
- Gold medal at the International Youth Championships in Clermont Ferrand

>> Also look at our GYMmedia-Report on the Austrian Open (Oct. 2006)

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The GYMmedia editors received the following statement from the chief press officer of the Austrian Gymnastics Association ÖFT, Robert Labner:

Robert Labner
ÖFT Chief Press Officer

"Only an intention...!"
".... From my point of view it needs to be clarified that there was merely an intention to join FISAF!
However, the change of membership never took place, because on 1 December 2006 the ÖFT made a last effort to keep the Gazov training group from Linz in the FIG community.
ÖFT-President Christian Katzlberger, our federal discipline representative (TK-Präsidentin) Christina Philippi, the president of the Upper Austrian regional gymnastics association Dieter Brandenburg and I myself held talks with the Gazovs and a parents' representative and found a mutually acceptable solution which appears to be working in practice.
These talks took place in view of the threat of exclusion from the FIG …

The Status quo:
- "FISAF Austria" was dissolved again in December. - Lubi Gazov remains a member of the ÖFT and was included in the 2007 national squad, along with her training partner Melanie Peking and others.
- The regional responsibilities were partly reassigned, the prejudices and conflicts of the past, which led to the wish to break away, appear to have been dealt with.
We're all cooperating again!"
Robert Labner, ÖFT

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