Olympic champion Darja Varfolomeev continues to dominate in rhythmic gymnastics. There was also a special gold medal at the European Championships in Bulgaria. Now the athlete from TSV Schmiden is turning her attention to the World Cup.
Darja Varfolomeev enjoyed the sound of the German national anthem and looked down from the winner’s podium with a beaming smile. The Olympic champion stood twice in her usual place on the last day of the European Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships – at the top of the podium.
With a total of three titles, Varfolomeev was once again the dominant athlete at a major international event. “I’m very happy and I didn’t think it would go so well again today,” she said afterwards: “I felt very good and I had a lot of fun being able to show what I’m capable of again today.”
Darja Varfolomeev collects gold after gold
After the prestigious title in the all-around competition on Saturday The 19-year-old did it again on Sunday in Varna, Bulgaria. Varfolomeev secured the title with the ball and with the tape.
The “everything winner” from TSV Schmiden now has an impressive 18 gold medals to her name in international title fights, plus another nine medals of a different color. With the ball, Varfolomeev scored 29,550 points in a close title decider on Sunday. The German even managed an outstanding 30,000 points with the tapee and gave the competition no chance. “Band was a very strong exercise. I did the highest difficulty. And of course I’m very happy that it worked,” summed up the happy Varfolomeev. “I left out a bit of the ball. That’s why it was so close. But still gold because of cleanliness.”
The only thing that didn’t work out this time was with the tires: 29,300 points were just enough for fourth place, and with her clubs she also missed qualifying for the apparatus final. Germany finished fifth in the team rankings.
Narrow all-around victory causes celebration
The jubilation was particularly great on Saturday. In the all-around competition, Varfolomeev prevailed by a narrow margin of 0.950 points over local hero Stilijana Nikolowa. “I felt good and powerful today,” said Varfolomeev, who had struggled in qualifying, afterwards: “I think that was the most difficult medal for me. I have already won all the major titles in the all-around – except for the European Championships. Now the gold medal is finally here. That makes me very happy and grateful.”
Darja Varfolomeev has her sights set on the World Cup – and her high school diploma
There isn’t much time left to enjoy. Varfolomeev has long had his sights set on the home World Cup in Frankfurt in August. “With every competition you feel more and more that this is coming,” said the Olympic champion in Paris in an interview. “And of course the pressure also increases.” Nevertheless, Varfolomeev hopes to show a “good performance” at the World Cup through good preparation.
In order to have enough time to prepare, Varfolomeev, who graduated from secondary school last summer, is taking a break from school this year. She probably wants to study for her high school diploma next year. And preferably decorated even more highly than it already is.
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