Bulgaria's Stiliyana Nikolova Claims Two Golds at Rhythmic Gymnastics World Cup in Sofia

Bulgarian rhythmic gymnast Stiliyana Nikolova secured two gold medals at the Rhythmic Gymnastics World Cup, that took place at the Arena 8888 hall in Sofia. In the finals for individual apparatus, she triumphed in both the hoop and ball events.

Nikolova delivered an exceptional performance with the hoop, earning a total of 29.500 points. Her score included 13.200 for difficulty, 8.300 for artistry, and 8.000 for execution. Ukraine's Taisiya Onofrychuk, who had previously won the all-around title, finished second with 28.850 points. Italy’s Sofia Rafaeli, the 2022 World Champion in Sofia and a bronze medalist at the 2024 Paris Games, placed third with 28.400 points. For Rafaeli, this was her only final of the day.

In the ball final, Nikolova once again impressed the judges, receiving 28.950 points for her routine. The breakdown of her score included 12.600 for difficulty, 8.200 each for artistry and execution, and a 0.050 penalty. Alina Harnasko, competing as a neutral athlete, took the silver with 28.350 points, while the bronze went to Uzbekistan's Tahmina Ikromova, who scored 27.150.