Raffaeli's Baku brilliance wins Cross Battle title at European Cup!

A day that opened with the stars of tomorrow closed with an icon of now, as Sofia Raffaeli held her nerve to win the Cross Battle in Baku.

Sofia back on top of the podium

In just the second European Cup in rhythmic gymnastics, it was always destined to be top-class entertainment for those at home and at the venue. And when considering there was an entry list that included Sofia Raffaeli, Taisiia Onofriichuk and Daniela Munits, there was zero chance of it not living up to expectations.

Eight enthralling encounters were lined up at the start following the earlier apparatus rounds, and it came down to Raffaeli, Onofriichuk, Polina Karika and Uzbekistan’s Lola Djuraeva after rounds one and two.

In a battle that had the crowd on the edge of their seat through every second, Raffaeli narrowly got the better of Onofriichuk with the clubs, the Italian recording 27.300 to Taisiia’s 27.050. On the other half of the draw, Ukraine’s other semi-finalist, Karika, just missed out on a final spot as well, with Djuraeva of Uzbekistan scoring 29.250 to Karika’s 27.650.

And when the two finalists met, sparks happened. Raffaeli’s 28.700 started us off, with Djuaraeva finishing on an impressive 27.250 to pick up silver on a shining Sunday of competition.

Speaking after the final, Raffaeli revealed this win is another huge step on her path to Tallinn and the European Championships. “I feel very good because I did four exercises better than qualification, so this is a step to the European Championships. This competition has helped me do better and better for the next.”

"I'm the same Sofia!"

It’s the first time we’ve seen Raffaeli since her first Olympics, where she reached the podium in emotional circumstances. “My life hasn’t changed. One week after the Olympic Games I returned to the gym and came back very happy to continue with rhythmic, to do new routines, new exercises. I’m the same gymnast that I was last year…the same Sofia!”

Cross Battle Results

GOLD Sofia Raffaeli (ITA)

SILVER Lola Djuaraeva (UZB)

BRONZE Taisiia Onofriichuk (UKR)

Junior Joy

From senior to junior, and it was a standout day for two of Israel’s finest young rhythmic gymnasts. Both Rebekka Miller (hoop) and Alice Rozenberg (ball) collected gold from their morning of work, finishing with winning scores of 26.100 and 25.000 respectively.

With the clubs, another fine Bulgarian talent emerges. Antoaneta Tsankova had already been part of the team success achieved yesterday, and Sunday saw a clubs gold follow. She wasn’t alone in the medals from her nation either, Magdalena Valkova winning silver with the hoop.

And in the ribbon final, Ukraine’s Liubuv Gorashchenko finished 0.900 ahead of double silver medallist Kseniya Khyzhych in a podium that also included Azerbaijan’s Shams Aghahuseynova.

Junior Individual Apparatus Finals

Hoop

GOLD Rebekka Miller (ISR) 26.100

SILVER Magdalena Valkova (BUL) 25.600

BRONZE Elena Vukmir (HUN) 25.500

Ball

GOLD Alice Rozenberg (ISR) 25.000

SILVER Kseniya Zhyzhych (POL) 24.000

BRONZE Sofia Jakovleva (EST) 23.950

Clubs

GOLD Antoaneta Tsankova (BUL) 25.850

SILVER Viktoriia Dorofieieva (UKR) 25.550

BRONZE Franciska Hesz (HUN) 24.500

Ribbon

GOLD Liubov Gorashchenko (UKR) 25.500

SILVER Kseniya Zhyzhych (POL) 24.600

BRONZE Shams Aghahuseynova (AZE) 24.400

Bulgaria take group glory

Junior competition in Baku concluded with the groups, as Bulgaria built on a superb Saturday to collect gold first in the five hoops, 27.100 leaving them considerably ahead of the chasing pack.

And what better way to finish than with…a second gold? Bulgaria certainly thought so and made no mistake in pursuit of it. 24.950 won them the title with the clubs, ahead of a jubilant second-placed Italy. Azerbaijan made it back-to-back bronze medals in the process too.

Junior Group Apparatus Finals

Five Hoops

GOLD Bulgaria 27.100

SILVER Israel 24.650

BRONZE Azerbaijan 23.500

Five Pairs of Clubs

GOLD Bulgaria 24.950

SILVER Italy 23.550

BRONZE Azerbaijan 23.500

This instalment of the European Cup may have come to a close, but we don’t have long to wait at all until we go again! The Bulgarian city of Burgas is next up in less than two weeks, hosting the third European Cup in Rhythmic Gymnastics from 15-18 May. And from there, the rhythmic journey continues to what promises to be an unmissable European Championships in Tallinn next month!