Highlights of the European Games in pictures

After Russia won the final golf of the Games, with gold in the beach soccer, the closing ceremony took place on Sunday. The inaugural games impressed the world, after criticsm surrounded the selection of Baku as host with human rights doubts. After over two weeks over competition, the goodbye from Azerbaijan was filled with dancers, lights and colour.

Judoka Martyna Trajdos will carry the German flag at Sunday's closing ceremony in Baku. The 26-year-old won in the 63 kilo weight class, but said the honor of representing Germany was almost "more emotional" than her gold medal. Her triumph means that Trajdos is also European champion

Another gold for Germany in Baku and this one came from a teenager. 15-year old Julia Mrozinski won the swimming competition's 200m butterfly. Currently, Germany is third in the medals table, with 13 golds, 12 silvers and 15 bronzes. Hosts Azerbaijan and Russia, with 51 golds, are ahead on the leaderboard.

The thumping music, jaw-dropping slam-dunks and sublime skill involved in three-versus-three basketball makes for non-stop entertainment for viewing fans. On Tuesday, the sport showed the world what it was made of for the first time on a global stage. But the game with inner-city origins wants to go even further and be a part of the Olympic Games.

Amateur boxer Sarah Scheurich won her quarterfinal against Turkey's Sema Caliskan, moving her into the semifinals where, in this tournament, she has secured a bronze even if she loses. A spot in the final four also gives Scheurich a ticket to the World Championships in Qatar in October, where she will look to qualify for a coveted place at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

Aynur Husseynowa, Narmin Ramasanowa and Lala Husseynowa, synchronized, going for gold in front of a home crowd in Baku. But the local trio could only manage fifth, while the Belgians took gold in the field. No glory for the Azeris, just yet.

What were you doing at 14 years of age? Well, German Elena Wassen has won a bronze medal at the European Games in Baku. Although a youth competition, the teenager takes third-prize in the diving as the youngest member of the German team. Talk about setting the benchmark ...

Two wrestlers threw away their medal chances at the European Games when their bout turned into a brawl. Tempers flared between Georgia's Vladimer Khinchegashvili (pictured in blue above at last year's European Wrestling Championships) and Belarus' Uladzislau Andreyeu in their 57-kilogram freestyle semifinal. Both were disqualified, leaving Germany's Marcel Ewald to take silver in the final.

On Tuesday, Anisiya Neborako of Russia won the Synchronized Swimming Solo final in Baku. "It was the best performance of my career," the 18 year-old said afterwards. Spain's Berta Ferreras Sanz took silver, while Anna-Maria Alexandri of Austria won the bronze.

On Monday, Germany won their first two gold medals in Baku. It all happened inside of eight minutes, when canoeists Max Hoff (pictured above) and Sebastian Brendel paddled to victory in their respective events. In total, Germany's canoe team have picked up five medals so far at the European Games.

On the second day of competition, Germany picked up a silver medal in a sport it often doesn't dominate internationally: karate. The 26-year-old Jonathan Horne (pictured left above) was beaten in the final of the over 84 kilo class by Turkey's Enes Erkan.

The first gold medal in the history of the European Games went to mountain biker Jolanda Neff. At the first event of the Games in Baku, the Swiss rider was too good for compatriot Kathrin Stirnemann (left) and Poland's Maja Wloszczowska (right).

Gymnast Fabian Hambüchen led the German team into the opening ceremony, carrying the German flag. "I'm one of the oldest in the team. Leading such a young group and being given the job of carrying the flag: it's a great honor," the 27-year-old said.

The opening ceremony of the European Games cost over $95 million (85 million euros), according to the country's sports minister. Some of that money would certainly have been spent on Lady Gaga's appearance fee. She was there to sing a version of John Lennon's "Imagine."

The opening ceremony on Friday night in Azerbaijan's capital Baku was full of music, light shows and fireworks. President Ilham Aliyev, who is criticized for breaching human rights regulations in his own country, held the opening speech. Fifty nations will take part in the event, which goes until June 28.