At the World University Games, the German team is extremely prominent in rhythmic gymnastics. In the all -around battle, however, it turned out directly that old successes are not so easy to repeat.
Many people came to cheer Margarita Kolosov in the early Saturday afternoon of the second day of the competition in Essen. Finally, Paris’s Olympic fourth was also considered a great favorite in the field of starter in the university games. In contrast to the loud support, the sporting result of the Germans is less satisfactory: “Unfortunately, things did not go as desired. I personally think it’s a shame here in Germany, which my big goal was after the Olympics,” she said at the WDR microphone.
No successful Competition comeback For Kolosov
Because Margarita Kolosov was really looking forward to the home competition: “At home it is always something different, which is very special”. In addition, it was the first competition for the Potsdamer this year, who also reported a mental hole after the Olympic Games, from which she had to struggle.
In addition, they appear completely with new choreographies – and not everywhere their elements are already going into one another smoothly. This also became aware of the audience, which the German never showered unconditionally with applause. According to Kolosov, “little things” were problematic, on which she could work well. “In the end, you learn from the fact that you always have to start all over,” she draws her personal conclusion.
In terms of sport, Kolosov remains just below the 100-point mark and thus a good 15 points behind the winner Alina Harnasko (Belarus). She too is a well-known face of the Olympic Games, won bronze in Tokyo in 2021 and, like Russian athletes, competed at the Rhein-Ruhr Games under a neutral flag.
Simakova draws attention
If favorites search in vain, then the limelight often helps to fame other talents, including these World University Games. This was already evident on the first day of the competition, when the German synchronized voice duo Lena Hentschel and Luis Avila Sanchez were able to celebrate a gold medal completely incredulously.
In the meantime, another German athlete blossomed in rhythmic sports gymnastics: Anastasia Simakova. The 20-year-old drew attention to herself with a silver medal in the 2025 EM in 2025, and at the World University Games she started after a strong start as the second best of the overall ranking in the second day of competition.
However, their medal hopes quickly passed there. The freestyle with the clubs made Simakova less well than many of her competitors, so that – with striking resemblance to Kolosov’s fourth place in Paris – less than two points for the bronze square were missing after all disciplines. A little competition drama in rhythmic sports aerobics, again with the worse outcome for the German athlete.
Chance of a conciliatory conclusion
After all, the participants in the “small” Olympic Games of the students, in contrast to the “big ones”, can fight for a single medal. For Anastasia Simakova in particular, this is again the chance to recommend yourself on the big stage. In three out of four disciplines, she is represented in the individual finals, with which the ball even with teammate Kolosov.
Our sources:
- Interview Margarita Kolosov
- Results of the World University Games
