Meital Maayan Sumkin wins Cross Battle title!

A frantic final day in Burgas culminated in the biggest win of Meital Maayan Sumkin’s young career as she won a stunning cross battle final at the European Cup in Rhythmic Gymnastics.

Meital makes it gold

There might only have been three instalments of the European Cup series, but it’s a safe assurance to say the competition has been unmissable at every turn. From Stiliana Nikolova to Sofia Raffaeli and now to our third cross battle champion – Meital Maayan Sumkin.

The young Israeli has only made the switch to senior competition in the past year, but she’s taken to it in quite spectacular style with this her biggest win yet.

Sumkin’s journey to the final with Stiliana Nikolova was by no means easy, as she first got past Georgia’s Mariami Kajaia on the ball apparatus, scoring 27.666 to progress. From there and into the final eight, where she finished 0.700 ahead of France’s Lily Ramonatxo with the hoop to set up a much-anticipated semi-final encounter with Bulgaria’s Dara Stoyanova with clubs.

Stoyanova's 25.233 was beaten by Sumkin’s 28.966, leaving her with just the Stiliana hurdle to go. And after nailing her ribbon routine, Sumkin was left in absolute shock on the kiss and cry when it was revealed her score of 29.000 had secured a brilliant gold. It all meant that her Burgas adventure would end with a gold medal, a trophy and the €6000 prize money.

For Nikolova – who already had shone in the apparatus finals a couple of days earlier – it was more of the same from the reigning European All-Around champion. 30.533 with the hoop in the last 16 made a huge statement as she moved past Bianca Rautu of Romania, before a 29.352 with the ball put her ahead of Cyprus’ Maria Avgousti.

For the final four, an enthralling clash awaited against Amalia Lica. But with 30.633, Stiliana was able to get the better of a gymnast who has stood out since making the jump to seniors in the past few months. But in the final she was stopped short of a second cross battle title by Sumkin’s brilliance.

In third spot was Stoyonova, who pipped Amalia Lica of Romania to the final podium spot.

CROSS BATTLE MEDALLISTS

GOLD Meital Mayaan Sumkin (ISR)

SILVER Stiliana Nikolova (BUL)

BRONZE Dara Stoyonova (BUL)

Juniors complete their Burgas tenure

In the individual junior finals, two nations had the run of things as Israel and Bulgaria both saw their gymnasts collect two gold medals.

For Israel, the talented young duo of Alice Rozenberg and Sofiya Gandlin did the business with the ball and hoop respectively. For Rozenberg, 25.582 did the job ahead of Georgia’s Nita Jamagidze and Romania’s Patricia Stanciu. And for Gandlin, 24.132 left her narrowly ahead of silver medallist Nasa Mikolic (Serbia), while Stanciu again picked up bronze.

And much to the joy of a well-populated Burgas Arena, it was double delight as Anastasia Kaleva (clubs) and Magdalena Valkova (ribbon) did the business on the floor. Kaleva won her gold by a full point to Azerbaijan’s Fidan Gurbanli, with Stanciu making it a hat-trick of bronze medals for the collection. Valkova’s victory was a touch closer, 25.900 ahead of Shams Aghahuseynova of Azerbaijan, with Rozenberg completing the action in third.

HOOP

GOLD Sofiya Gandlin (ISR) 24.132

SILVER Masa Nikolic (SRB) 24.066

BRONZE Patricia Stanciu (ROU) 23.966

BALL

GOLD Alice Rozenberg (ISR) 25.582

SILVER Nita Jamagidze (GEO) 25.266

BRONZE Patricia Stanciu (ROU) 25.099

CLUBS

GOLD Anastasia Kaleva (BUL) 26.866

SILVER Fidan Gurbanli (AZE) 25.866

BRONZE Patricia Stanciu (ROU) 23.633\

RIBBON

GOLD Magdalena Valkova (BUL) 25.900

SILVER Shams Aghahuseynova (AZE) 25.299

BRONZE Alice Rozenberg (ISR) 24.433

Bulgaria do the groups double

Having seen their seniors impress throughout the four days of competition, it was the turn of the junior teams to draw their event to a close. And for Bulgaria, the day couldn’t have gone any better.

Big victories with both apparatus saw them record podium-topping positions ahead of Israel.

FIVE HOOPS

GOLD Bulgaria 26.850

SILVER Israel 24.250

BRONZE Azerbaijan 23.650

FIVE PAIRS OF CLUBS

GOLD Bulgaria 24.550

SILVER Israel 23.650

BRONZE Czechia 21.200

To Tallinn we go…

We don’t have long to wait at all until the Tallinn 2025 Rhythmic Gymnastics European Championships! The action begins on 4^th June, as stars including Olympic all-around champion Darja Varfolomeev, 2022 World all-around champion Sofia Raffaeli and reigning European all-around champion Stiliana Nikolova all take to Estonia for what promises to be an unmissable few days.