Double Belgian victory as seniors start #ACRO2025

On the second day of the 32^nd European Championships in Acrobatic Gymnastics, the Coque Arena in the city of Luxembourg welcomed the senior gymnasts to the floor. All senior gymnasts performed their first exercise in the qualification rounds, immediately followed by those finals. The Mixed Pairs and Women’s Groups delivered their dynamic routine, while balance was on the menu for the Women’s Pairs, Men’s Pairs and Men’s Groups.

Defending European Champions -and reigning World Champions- Aghasif Rahimov and Raziya Seyidli clinched the first senior gold medal of this. The Azerbaijani duo excelled, showing off an incredible dynamic routine and outscoring their nearest rivals by over a point. The battle for silver was won by the equally experienced Israeli pair Amy Refaeli and Yonatan Fridman who kept a strong Portuguese challenge by Guilherme Henriques and Lara Fernandes at bay.

More World Champion material on display this evening as Silke Macharis and Maysae Bouhouch secured the first title for Belgium this week. Forced to withdraw due to injury at the previous edition in Varna (BUL) in 2023, the Belgian women’s pair scored 28.520 to win the balance final ahead of Beatriz Carneiro and Ines Faria for Portugal. Ukraine’s Anhelina Cherniavska and Ruzanna Vecheruk earned the bronze medal.

Pocketing two silver medals already, Portugal climbed onto the top of the podium in the Women’s Groups Dynamic final, courtesy of Alicia Santos, Leonor Carreira and Ema Fernandes. Their total score of 27.770 outscored Israeli trio Lia Bar Noy, Michal Stratievsky and Nikol Aleinik by a mere 0.030 while Anahita Bashiri, Zahra Rashidova and Nazrin Zeyniyeva were a further point down, securing the bronze for Azerbaijan.

A hugely exciting balance final saw history written for Spain as Jose Moreno and Juan Daniel Molina performed a fabulous routine for men’s pairs victory. Dedicating their victory to their families and trainers, with a very special mention of Pablo Hinojar who passed away last October, the Spanish men were delighted to win, a moment that was a long time coming. The silver went to Azerbaijan in the hands of defending Champions Daniel Abbasov and Murad Rafiyev while Miguel Lopes and Goncalo Parreira (POR) grabbed the bronze.

Last but certainly not least, the men’s groups battled it out in their balance final. And boy did they deliver! In a nail-biting grand finale, Belgium secured its second victory of the night. Newcomers on the senior level Ayden Dupont, Lars Maes, Kobe Multael and Tibe Tossens (BEL) upstaged seasoned competitors Yurii Savka, Taras Yarush, Yurii Push and Stanislav Kukurudz (UKR) 27.940 to 27.910, with Abdulla Al-Mashaykhi, Riad Safarov, Rasul Seyidli and Seymur Jafarov (AZE) in bronze with 27.830, in the tightest podium result so far.

Congratulations to the medallists!

Mixed Pairs Dynamic

GOLD Aghasif Rahimov & Raziya Seyidli (AZE) 28.980

SILVER Amy Refaeli & Yonatan Fridman (ISR) 27.920

BRONZE Guilherme Henriques & Lara Fernandes (POR) 27.870

Women’s Pairs Balance

GOLD Silke Macharis & Maysae Bouhouch (BEL) 28.520

SILVER Beatriz Carneiro & Ines Faria (POR) 28.030

BRONZE Anhelina Cherniavska & Ruzanna Vecheruk (UKR) 27.480

Women’s Groups Dynamic

GOLD Alicia Santos, Leonor Carreira & Ema Fernandes (POR) 27.770

SILVER Lia Bar Noy, Michal Stratievsky & Nikol Aleinik (ISR) 27.740

BRONZE Anahita Bashiri, Zahra Rashidova & Nazrin Zeyniyeva (AZE) 26.720

Men’s Pairs Balance

GOLD Jose Moreno & Juan Daniel Molina (ESP) 28.620

SILVER Daniel Abbasov & Murad Rafiyev (AZE) 28.570

BRONZE Miguel Lopes & Goncalo Parreira (POR) 28.170

Men’s Groups Balance

GOLD Ayden Dupont, Lars Maes, Kobe Multael & Tibe Tossens (BEL) 27.940

SILVER Yurii Savka, Taras Yarush, Yurii Push & Stanislav Kukurudz (UKR) 27.910

BRONZE Abdulla Al-Mashaykhi, Riad Safarov, Rasul Seyidli & Seymur Jafarov (AZE) 27.830

Find the full results on our website: 2025 European Championships in Acrobatic Gymnastics - Luxembourg (LUX) | European Gymnastics.

These European Championships continue tomorrow with the second qualification exercises in all categories!