1. Early Life and Background
Lala Yusifova was born on 16 October 1996, in Baku, Azerbaijan. She began her journey in rhythmic gymnastics, a sport that combines elements of ballet, gymnastics, dance, and apparatus manipulation, at a young age in her home country. Initially representing Azerbaijan in international competitions, she later relocated to London, Great Britain, which is now her place of residence.
2. Career
Lala Yusifova's rhythmic gymnastics career spans from her junior debut in 2009 through her senior competitive years until 2014, followed by a notable comeback in 2024. Her career progression saw her achieve significant success at both junior and senior levels, contributing to Azerbaijan's presence in international rhythmic gymnastics.
2.1. Junior Career
Yusifova commenced her competitive career as a junior in international competitions in 2009. Her early success was highlighted at the 2010 European Junior Championships held in Bremen, where she secured a silver medal in the ball discipline. The following year, at the 2011 European Junior Championships in Minsk, she was part of the Azerbaijani group that earned a bronze medal in the 5 Ropes event.
2.2. Senior Career
In 2012, Yusifova transitioned to the senior level of competitive rhythmic gymnastics. Her senior debut was marked by impressive performances, particularly at the 2012 Grand Prix Final in Brno. In this event, she claimed silver medals in both the ribbon and clubs disciplines, notably placing behind the then-reigning Olympic silver medalist Daria Dmitrieva.
The 2013 season was a particularly active year for Yusifova. She earned a bronze medal in the hoop discipline at the 2013 Miss Valentine Cup in Tartu, Estonia, and another bronze medal at the 2013 Irina Deleanu Cup.
At the 2013 European Championships in Vienna, Austria, she represented Azerbaijan alongside her teammate Marina Durunda, helping their team to a fourth-place finish. Individually, she qualified for the clubs final, where she placed seventh. Later in 2013, at the Azerbaijan National Championships, Yusifova secured a silver medal in the all-around competition, placing second to the national champion Marina Durunda. She also participated in the 2013 World Cup Final in Saint Petersburg, Russia, finishing eighth in the all-around and eighth in the ball final. At the 2013 World Championships, she tied for 13th place in the all-around alongside Jana Berezko-Marggrander. Her 2013 Grand Prix engagements included a ninth-place finish in the all-around at the 2013 Grand Prix Brno, and a sixth-place finish in the all-around at the 2013 Grand Prix Final in Berlin, where she won a bronze medal in clubs. Concluding her successful 2013 season, Yusifova competed at the 2013 Aeon Cup in Tokyo, Japan, contributing to a fifth-place team finish and placing sixth in the all-around finals.
In 2014, Yusifova faced an early season setback due to a shoulder injury. She made her return to competition at the 2014 Azerbaijan National Championships in April, where she once again secured the all-around silver medal, placing behind Marina Durunda. Her first international appearance of the season was at the 2014 Corbeil-Essonnes World Cup, where she finished 16th in the all-around and sixth in the ball event final. Her world rankings included 12th in 2013, 39th in 2014, and 28th in 2012.
2.2.1. Major Competition Results
Yusifova's notable medal achievements in major international competitions are summarized below:
| Year | Competition | Discipline | Medal |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | European Junior Championships (Bremen) | Ball | Silver |
| 2011 | European Junior Championships (Minsk) | 5 Ropes (Group) | Bronze |
| 2012 | Grand Prix Final (Brno) | Ribbon | Silver |
| Grand Prix Final (Brno) | Clubs | Silver | |
| 2013 | Grand Prix Final (Berlin) | Clubs | Bronze |
| Azerbaijan National Championships | All-Around | Silver |
2.3. Retirement and Comeback
After her brief return to competition in 2014, Lala Yusifova officially announced her retirement from competitive gymnastics on September 3 of that year. However, in October 2024, Yusifova announced on her social media platforms her decision to return to competitive rhythmic gymnastics. Her first competition following her comeback was in 2025 at the international tournament Miss Valentine in Tartu, Estonia, where she represented Great Britain. In this event, she placed 17th in the hoop discipline and 19th in the clubs discipline.
3. Personal Life
Beyond her career as a rhythmic gymnast, Lala Yusifova has a personal life centered around her family and her passion for the sport. She is a mother to two children, a boy and a girl. She currently resides in London, Great Britain. In addition to her family life, Yusifova remains actively involved in rhythmic gymnastics through coaching. During her competitive years, she was notably coached by Mariana Vasileva and Natalia Bulanova. She coaches at the London Sport Academy Putney Ltd. Further solidifying her commitment to the sport, in 2024, she established her own rhythmic gymnastics club, named the Lala Yusifova Gymnastics Academy.
4. Routine Music Information
The following table details the music selections used by Lala Yusifova for her rhythmic gymnastics programs across various apparatus and competition years:
| Year | Apparatus | Music title |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Hoop | Under Oath by Chroma Music |
| Ball | ||
| Clubs | Vikings (Hey Ho) by Hedegaard | |
| Ribbon | ||
| 2014 | Hoop | |
| Ball | Childhood Remembered by Kevin Kern | |
| Clubs | Nazende Sevgilim by Bilen Yildirir | |
| Ribbon | Dum-Taka by Elitsa Todorova | |
| 2013 | Hoop | God's Fury by Udi Harpaz |
| Ball | Limelight (Main Theme) by André Rieu ft The Johann Strauss Orchestra | |
| Clubs | "Cosmos" by Stoyan Yankoulov, Miroslav Ivanov, Elitsa Todorova | |
| Ribbon | Men In Black by Alexey Garnizov | |
| 2012 | Hoop | A Time For Us music from Romeo and Juliet (1968) by Caroline Campbell |
| Ball | unknown | |
| Clubs | unknown Azeri folk | |
| Ribbon | Serdtse obzhigaya (Сердце обzhigaya) by Didulya | |