Bangladeshi Russian Olympian Margarita in Dhaka
Sports desk: Bangladeshi descent Russian gymnast and Olympic gold medallist Margarita Mamun arrived in Dhaka on Saturday to inspire local gymnasts in the Bangabandhu fifth Central South Asian Artistic Gymnastics Championship at the Shaheed Suhrawardy National Indoor Stadium from October 27 to 28.
A total of 177 gymnasts from six countries — Bangladesh, Uzbekistan, India, Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka — will compete in 22 events split in three categories — men’s, women’s and junior men’s.
Bangladesh will have 12 gymnasts in the competition.
Margarita, who won gold in rhythmic gymnastics in the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics, was born in Moscow to a Bangladeshi father and a Russian mother.
Bangladesh Gymnastics Federation president Sheikh Bashir Ahmed Mamun disclosed the details following the competition’s logo unveiling ceremony at the Dhaka Club on Saturday.
‘Margarita Mamun is now in Dhaka. She will attend the opening ceremony and the competition the following day. We invited her to inspire our girls,’ said Mamun.
State minister for youth and sports Zahid Ahsan Russel unveiled the logo.
The competition was supposed to be held with 10 nations in 2020 to mark the birth centenary of the country’s founding president Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, but was deferred due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
