Rhythmic gymnastics at the 2024 Paris Olympics will soon get underway and the individual podium promises to be historic, as it will feature no Russian or Belarusian gymnasts, and there is no clear favorite since Tokyo. Since 2021, five different gymnasts have won the five titles awarded at the European and world championships, so the medals could go a number of different ways.
Germany’s Darja Varfolomeev is likely the top contender for gold. In 2023, she achieved a historic sweep at the world championships by winning the all-around and all four event finals, becoming only the second rhythmic gymnast to do so. Known for her flawless execution and dynamic performance style, a medal would mark only the second individual medal for Germany; Regina Weber won bronze in 1984 representing West Germany.
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Bulgaria’s Stiliana Nikolova is a significant competitor for Varfolomeev. The daughter of rhythmic gymnast Paulina, a two-time world champion, Nikolova trained with her mother and sister before moving alone to Bulgaria at 13 to join the national team. She won the 2024 European all-around title, her first major international victory. Though she’s been a medal contender for years with her excellent apparatus skills and engaging performances, she has struggled with errors during critical moments.
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Another Bulgarian contender is Boryana Kaleyn, who finished fifth in Tokyo. Kaleyn shows tremendous potential but has had difficulty consistently delivering clean routines in major events. Despite her 2023 European all-around title, she missed the podium in 2024. Bulgaria has not won a medal in the individual event since Adriana Dunavska’s silver in 1988.
Italy’s Sofia Raffaeli, the 2022 world all-around champion, finished second behind Varfolomeev in 2023. She faced a challenging start to the Olympic season due to a coaching change. Renowned for her expressive artistry and meticulous choreography, Raffaeli should secure a medal if she avoids major errors, marking Italy’s first individual medal in rhythmic gymnastics.
The United States has one athlete competing, Evita Griskenas from Orland Park, Illinois, who will compete in her second Olympics. Griskenas, who placed 12th in Tokyo's qualification round, aims to reach the final in Paris.
In the group competition, Bulgaria and Israel are expected to compete closely for gold in Paris.
Bulgaria made a significant impact by dethroning the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) in Tokyo, preventing a sixth consecutive title for Russian athletes. The team that competed in Paris is a new lineup since Tokyo, yet it has demonstrated exceptional talent, winning the 2022 world all-around title in their debut. Despite some growing pains and challenges, particularly with their hoops routine, Bulgaria showcased impressive performances at the 2024 Europeans, securing the all-around title.
When Bulgaria has faltered, Israel has often stepped up. At the 2023 Worlds, Israel won its first all-around medal and title. However, Israel has yet to win an Olympic medal in the group event. One of its assistant coaches is Linoy Ashram, the 2020 Olympic champion. The Israeli team is relatively stable under pressure and typically delivers strong routines with minimal errors. Like individual gymnast Daria Atamanov, the squad trains at the Wingate Institute in Netanya and has continued training in Israel throughout the recent Israel-Hamas war. The group faced challenges at the 2024 Europeans, making small but unusual errors and finishing fifth in the all-around, though they secured medals in each event final.
