Darja Varfolomeev claims third all-around title in Frankfurt; Germany, Bulgaria and Italy earn LA28 quota spots.

Rhythmic Gymnastics 2026 World Championships in Frankfurt: Darja Varfolomeev dazzles home crowd to claim third all-around crown

The Olympic champion delivered a golden show on home soil in Frankfurt as Germany, Bulgaria and Italy secure LA28 quota spots.

Frankfurt’s Festhalle erupted in applause as teddy bears flew and German flags waved through the stands with Darja Varfolomeev claiming the individual rhythmic gymnastics all-around title on Friday (14 August) at the 2026 Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships .

In the all-around competition, each gymnast performs four routines, across hoop, ball, clubs and ribbon , with the scores combined to determine the final standings.

The defending world champion was certainly not immune to the pressure of the occasion, opening with a shaky hoop routine that earned 28.300 points before finding her rhythm with the ball (30.050).

She strengthened her position with a superb 31.500 in clubs before closing the night with 29.650 in ribbon, finishing with a winning total of 119.500 .

Bulgaria’s Stiliana Nikolova gave the home favourite a run for her money, producing a series of electric and charismatic performances to finish second with 117.600 . Italy’s Paris 2024 bronze medallist Sofia Raffaeli completed the podium, taking bronze with 117.550 .

With today’s results, the NOCs of Germany , Bulgaria and Italy have obtained a quota spot* for the upcoming Olympic Games LA28 .

*As National Olympic Committees have the exclusive authority for the representation of their respective teams at the Olympic Games, athletes’ participation at the LA Games depends on their NOC selecting them to represent their delegation at LA28.

How to qualify for rhythmic gymnastics at LA28 Olympics

Individual All Around Final | Rhythmic Gymnastics | Olympic Games Paris 2024

The Rhythmic Gymnastics Individual All Around Final was held on 09

2024 at La Chapelle Arena, Paris. Darja Varfolomeev (GER) claimed Gold, Boryana Kaleyn (BUL) took Silver and Sofia Raffaeli (ITA) completed the podium.

Darja Varfolomeev still hungry for LA28

The reigning Olympic all-around champion, who claimed the same world title in 2023 and 2025, added yet another to her collection, this time in front of a jubilant home crowd.

After the qualification round, Varfolomeev had described competing inside the venue as feeling like performing in a “theatre”, and on Friday night, she delivered a show worthy of the stage.

Having won virtually everything there is to win in the sport, Olympics.com asked Varfolomeev what continues to fuel her competitive fire.

“I love this sport and I cannot imagine my life without it,” she said. “Now I enjoy it, and because of that, maybe I can make it until Los Angeles [2028]. The big goal is LA .”

When asked what she loves about her sport, she answered: “I think, like all gymnasts say, it’s a very beautiful sport. It’s very elegant, and I really love it. It’s my life.”

But even a world and Olympic champion is looking forward to some well-earned downtime.

Varfolomeev told Olympics.com that she is “really happy” about her upcoming weekend off, when she plans to spend time with family and friends and, as she put it, simply “enjoy life”.

The 19-year-old will return for the individual apparatus finals on Sunday (16 August). However, she will not be able to defend her clubs title after failing to finish among the top eight in the apparatus during qualification.

More quota spots will be on the line in the Group All-Around Final on Saturday, 15 August , where the three highest-ranked NOCs will each earn a quota place for a five-gymnast group at LA28.

Stay tuned to Olympics.com for more on-the-ground coverage from Frankfurt.

Left to right: Stiliana Nikolova (BUL), Darja Varfolomeev (GER), Sofia Raffaeli (ITA) at 2026 Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships

Picture by Pedro R. Coelho

Rhythmic Gymnastics | World Championships | Frankfurt | Germany