Ukrainian rhythmic gymnast Yelyzaveta Azza has decided to end her professional career. The 21-year-old athlete, who is among the most prominent representatives of the national team in the latest season, announced her departure in a personal statement published on her Instagram. The gymnast's decision is reported by Sport RBC.UA, citing her own account. In the published photo, Azza poses with the World Championship gold medal, wearing the national team uniform featuring the logo of the Ukrainian Gymnastics Federation (UGF) and the national emblem.
An Announcement Without Regret
In her statement, Azza emphasized that she is closing one of the most important chapters of her life without regret, but with deep gratitude for the journey she has been on. "It seems impossible to describe in a single text the path that lasted so many years. A path that contained everything: victories and defeats, tears and smiles, pain and incredible joy, moments when you wanted to give it all up, and moments for which you wanted to keep going. It has been a great honor for me to be part of the national team for many years and to represent Ukraine at the most important international competitions," the athlete wrote.
Her Greatest Triumph — 2025 World Championship Gold
The most significant achievement in Yelyzaveta Azza's international career was her victory at the 2025 World Championships. As part of the Ukrainian rhythmic gymnastics team, she won the gold medal in the group exercise with three balls and two hoops. This result became the pinnacle of her multi-year journey with the national team and one of the key achievements of Ukrainian rhythmic gymnastics on the world stage.
Gratitude and a New Chapter
As she closes her career, the gymnast expressed her gratitude to her family, coaching staff, teammates, and medical personnel, noting that this chapter taught her discipline, resilience, and belief in her own abilities. At the same time, Azza emphasized that she is not saying a final goodbye to an active life: in her words, she is merely beginning a new chapter, setting goals for herself beyond the carpet.
Context: Early Departure and Personal Reasons
The decision by the 21-year-old world champion to end her competitive career at the professional level appears quite early by the standards of elite sport and underscores that her departure is driven by personal choice rather than the exhaustion of her potential. In the text of her statement, the gymnast does not reveal specific reasons — whether it is her health, accumulated fatigue, or a desire to change the direction of her development — limiting herself to a general expression of gratitude for the multi-year journey. Nevertheless, the very fact of a public, calm, and grateful farewell indicates that Azza is leaving sport with a sense of completion and without a feeling of loss.
