site.btaRhythmic Gymnastics: Bulgaria's Kaleyn Steals the Show at Sofia World Cup

108 SPORT - RHYTHMIC GYMNASTICS - SOFIA WORLD CUP

Rhythmic Gymnastics: With Three Gold Medals,
Bulgaria's Boryana Kaleyn
Steals the Show at Sofia World Cup


София, 28 март (БТА) - With three gold medals in the apparatus finals, Bulgaria's Boryana Kaleyn stole the show at the Rhythmic Gymnastics World Cup held in Sofia March 26-28. She won the gold in the hoop, clubs and ribbon final, and bronze in the ball final where Linoy Ashram of Israel came first. In Sofia, rhythmic gymnastics made its World Cup return after a yearlong wait.

Sixty individual gymnasts and 11 groups from 37 countries participated in the competitions and International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) President Morinari Watabane was an official guest.

Due to the coronavirus restrictions, there was no audience in Sofia's Arena Armeec.

Following are the results in the apparatus finals:

hoop: 1. Boryana Kaleyn (Bulgaria) 26.150 pts; 2. Anastasiia Salos (Belarus) 26.100 pts; 3. Linoy Ashram (Israel) 26.100 pts

ball: 1. Linoy Ashram (Israel) 26.500 pts; 2. Alina Harnasko (Belarus) 25.850 pts; 3. Boryana Kaleyn (Bulgaria) 25.500 pts

clubs: 1. Boryana Kaleyn (Bulgaria) 26.100 pts; 2. Sofia Raffaeli (Italy) 24.950 pts; 3. Katrin Tasseva (BG) 24.500 pts

ribbon: 1. Boryana Kaleyn (Bulgaria) 22.150 pts; 2. Anastasiia Salos (Belarus) 21.600 pts; 3. Sofia Raffaeli (Italy) 21.350 pts

In the group events, Bulgaria won gold in the all-around competition on Saturday and in the finals for five balls and three hoops and four clubs on Sunday.

Following are the standings in the group finals on Sunday:

five balls: 1. Bulgaria 39.800 pts.; 2. Japan 39.700 pts.; Russia 33.500 pts.

hoops and clubs: 1. Bulgaria 39.750 pts.; Japan 35.800 pts.; 3. Azerbaijan 33.450 pts.

The president of the jury at the Sofia World Cup, Maria Petrova, said it was a huge responsibility to organize such a big event during a pandemic. "It is hard to start anew with the same intensity as before. It is hard because all gymnasts who are here, have not been in a competition for one-and-a-half years. The first feeling is joy, the emotion of being together and then comes the pressure of the awareness that the competition is a big responsibility. As a representative of Bulgaria, I can proudly say that we succeeded in organizing a really top-level competition. After a competition of this standing, we are a step closer to the Olympics. The Olympic Games are out ultimate goal, the biggest event , that keeps us working," Petrova said in an interview posted on the Facebook page of the Bulgarian Rhythmic Gymnastics Federation. LN/