Bulgaria’s rhythmic gymnastics teams delivered a sensational performance at the European Cup in Baku this weekend, returning home with a remarkable total of nine medals — six gold, one silver, and two bronze — showcasing their talent and dominance on the continental stage.
The standout performance came from the girls’ ensemble, who swept the podium with three gold medals in an extraordinary display of synchronization, precision, and artistry.
The team, made up of Raya Bozhilova, Yoana Moteva, Anania Dimitrova, Gabriela Traykova, Ivayla Velkovska, and Elena Hristova, triumphed in the all-around competition as well as in the finals for routines with five hoops and five pairs of clubs.
The individual girls’ competition brought further glory to the Bulgarian delegation. Rising star Antoaneta Tsankova added another gold to her tally with a commanding victory in the final with clubs, following her previous success in the team event.
Magdalena Valkova also made her mark, securing the silver medal in the hoop final. Meanwhile, Alexa Rasheva narrowly missed the podium with a respectable fifth-place finish in the ball category.
In the women’s competition, Bulgaria continued its medal-winning form. The women’s ensemble, composed of Sofia Ivanova, Rachel Stoyanov, Alina Kolomiets, Suzan Puladian, Danaya Atanasova, and Victoria Georgieva, dazzled in the “Cross Battles” event, capturing the gold medal in a fiercely contested showdown.
The team also earned a bronze medal in the five ribbons final, reinforcing Bulgaria’s reputation as a powerhouse in rhythmic gymnastics.
Individually, Bulgarian athletes Dara Malinova and Oleksandra Shalueva showed commendable performances. Malinova clinched a bronze medal in the clubs final and nearly qualified for the quarter-finals in the Cross Battles event, falling short by just 0.150 points in a tight duel against Israel’s Daniela Munitz.
Shalueva reached the quarter-finals, where she faced stiff competition and was narrowly eliminated by Olympic bronze medalist Sofia Raffaeli of Italy.
The successful showing in Baku follows months of rigorous preparation and training for the Bulgarian national teams, and their efforts paid off with one of the country’s most successful outings in recent rhythmic gymnastics history.
“This was an exceptional competition for our girls. They showed not only elegance but also incredible discipline and determination,” said a spokesperson from the Bulgarian Gymnastics Federation. “We are proud of every single gymnast who represented Bulgaria in Baku.”
As Bulgaria celebrates a “golden” weekend, the results in Baku further cement the nation’s place among Europe’s elite in rhythmic gymnastics and offer a promising outlook for upcoming international competitions, including the World Championships later this year.
With their heads held high and medals gleaming, the Bulgarian gymnasts return home to a hero’s welcome — a fitting end to a truly triumphant European Cup campaign.
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