Rhythmic Gymnastics at the Olympics: Varfolomeev and Kolosov Qualify for the Final

Gold-hopeful Daria Varfolomeev and German all-around champion Margarita Kolosov will compete for medals in Rhythmic Gymnastics at the Paris Olympics

Despite two error-strewn performances, five-time world champion Varfolomeev survived the Rhythmic Gymnastics qualification round with 136,850 points, placing second.

“The dress rehearsal is over. Now I’ll just focus on tomorrow,” said the exceptional gymnast.

The 20-year-old Kolosov qualified for the final on Friday with 131,500 points for her routines with ball, hoop, ribbon, and clubs.

The best of the qualification was former world champion Sofia Raffaeli from Italy with 139,100 points.

The hoop jumps away

As in the entire season, the 17-year-old Varfolomeev also presented herself shakily at her Olympic debut. The gymnast from Schmiden started off brilliantly with the ball and received the highest score of the entire competition for it with 36,450 points.

However, her performance with the hoop, which jumped away from her during an element, was unsuccessful, forcing her to use a spare hoop that was ready at the edge of the mat.

The blunder threw her from first place at halftime to fourth place.

Knot in the ribbon

A tangled ribbon in her third performance cost the European champion on this apparatus further important points.

“There was a small knot, but luckily it was just a small one that I got out quickly,” she reported.

With a wonderful clubs exercise at the end, Varfolomeev then moved up to second place.

Kolosov with a solid qualification

Potsdam’s Kolosov, on the other hand, performed solidly, as she had at the German championships when she had left Varfolomeev behind.

Without any major mistakes and with strong nerves, she consistently ranked among the best seven of the 24 gymnasts in her first Olympic start.