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The Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships 2022 were held in Sofia, Bulgaria from September 14 to 18.
The games saw Italy top the medal tally with eight medal, with five of them being gold. Hosts Bulgaria finished second with six medals, while Germany were third with four medals. Italy also collected the gold in team all-around followed by Germany and Spain winning silver and bronze respectively.
The host city of Sofia proved lucky for Italian gymnast Sofia Raffaeli, as she put forth a phenomenal performance, bagging five golds and a bronze in individual apparatus.
Raffaeli emerged victorious in hoop, ball, ribbon and individual all-around. She fell short in clubs but still won an impressive bronze. The 18-year-old also helped Italy win gold in team all-around by putting on a brilliant show in the individual round.
According to the Olympics page, Raffaeli was overjoyed to win multiple medals for her country. She said:
"It means very, very much because this medal is for Italy ... for my family, for my coaches. I am so happy for this."
Bulgarian gymnast Stiliana Nikolova put forth a determined performance to bag silver in clubs, hoop and ribbon. Darja Varfolomeev of Germany performed well to pick up a gold, two silver and bronze in clubs, ball, all-around and hoop respectively.
The three gymnasts dominated the individual apparatus with the exception of Italy's Milena Baldassarri winning bronze in ball and Russia's Ekaterina Vedeneeva bagging bronze in ribbon.
In the groups round, Bulgaria captured two golds in Group All-around and 3 ribbons+2 balls. Italy took home one gold and one silver in five hoops and 3 ribbons+2 balls respectively.
Israel took two silver, and Spain bagged two bronze in group all-around and five hoops. Azerbaijan won a bronze in 3 ribbons+2 balls.
Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships 2022: Small glimpse before Olympics
Rhythmic gymnastics is a mind-boggling sport that demands flexibility, elegance, co-ordination and apparutus awareness. Gymnasts not only have to perform death-defying flips, but they have to do that with apparatus such as hoop, ribbon, ball and clubs.
Every day in any rhythmic gymnastics championships is unpredictable, as rightly said by the Italian groups team. They said:
"The most important difference from two days ago was our reaction on the carpet because we made two good routines today, and it was our goal."
This five-day affair was nothing short of brilliant, providing a glimpse of what could be in store in rhythmic gymnastics at the 2024 Paris Olympics, as many gymnasts booked their berths for the upcoming Games. The Bulgarian 3 ribbons+2 balls team was excited for the same, saying:
"Olympic is our biggest goal now. When we stepped on the first place and sang the national them on the Friday and today, it was very good. We didn't think of the Olympics; we just tried to play our compositions in the best way, and they came."
Italian star Sofia Raffaeli is excited about the Olympics as she should be after her awe-striking performance in the championships that secured her country an Olympic ticket. She said:
"(Going to Paris) it's my dream. I will be trying these next two years to work to improve myself so I can arrive strong at the Olympics and the World Championships next year,"
The next Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships will be held next year in Valencia, Spain.
