A Historic Performance in Varna

Stilyana Nikolova secured the silver medal in the individual all-around competition at the European Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships held in Varna. The Bulgarian gymnast delivered a stellar performance across all four apparatus routines, accumulating a total score of 118.750 points to finish second in the event.

Nikolova started strongly, leading after the first two apparatuses. She held the advantage over Germany's Daria Varfolomeeva, the Olympic and two-time world champion, following her exceptional hoop routine. The Bulgarian gymnast received the highest score for the hoop, earning an impressive 30.550 points. This early lead positioned her perfectly for the next phase of the competition.

The Super Final Decides the Gold

Under the new competition format, only the top 10 gymnasts after the hoop and ball rounds advance to the so-called super final, featuring clubs and ribbon. Nikolova entered this decisive phase in first place. However, Varfolomeeva produced a powerful performance in the final two routines, finishing with a total score of 120.150 points to claim the only title missing from her collection.

Nikolova’s clubs routine also earned over 30 points, but it was not enough to overtake the German champion. Ukraine's Taisiia Onofriichuk, defending her title from last year, took the bronze medal with a score of 117.150. This result marks Nikolova’s fifth consecutive European appearance on the podium.

Looking Ahead to Apparatus Finals

Speaking to Bulgarian media, Nikolova expressed satisfaction with her performance. "I am happy with how I executed my routines today. It was important to be stable and concentrated. However, the competition is not over yet, as we have four finals tomorrow and I need to be maximally focused again," she said.

The gymnast praised the new all-around format, noting it makes the event more exciting for spectators. She also highlighted the incredible atmosphere in Varna, thanking the crowd for their energy and support. Nikolova, a student of legendary coach Valentina Ivanova, now adds this silver to her European medal tally, which includes gold from Budapest 2024, silver from Tallinn 2025, and bronzes from Tel Aviv 2022 and Baku 2023.

Teammate Eva Brezalieva concluded her all-around participation after the first phase of the final with 51.200 points, placing 19th overall.