Brazil’s Lionesses win rhythmic gymnastics world title in Frankfurt; first-ever world title for Brazil and the Americas

Rhythmic Gymnastics 2026 World Championships in Frankfurt: Brazil make history as Darja Varfolomeev shines in apparatus finals

Brazil’s Lionesses roared into the history books while Germany’s Darja Varfolomeev delivered more golden magic on home soil, bringing the 2026 Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships in Frankfurt to a sparkling close.

The 2026 Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships came to a close on Sunday (16 August) with the world’s best rhythmic gymnasts taking to the carpet one final time for the individual apparatus and group finals.

With the first available quota places* for their respective National Olympic Committees (NOCs) for the Olympic Games LA28 already secured over the previous days, attention turned to the battle for the final world titles in Frankfurt.

Fresh off an emotional bronze medal in the group all-around the previous day, Brazil’s Leoas (“Lionesses”) made history in the group 5 balls final , capturing their nation’s first-ever world title in rhythmic gymnastics, and the first for a nation from the Americas.

The first individual apparatus title on offer was hoop , and an exceptionally competitive field saw all three medallists break the 30-point barrier. Ukraine’s Taisiia Onofriichuk claimed her maiden world title with 30.700 , edging Italian favourite and Italy’s defending champion Sofia Raffaeli , who scored 30.500 for silver.

Superstar Darja Varfolomeev (GER) completed the hoop podium with 30.400 to claim her first medal of the day.

Reigning world and Olympic all-around champion Varfolomeev reclaimed the spotlight in the next final, ball , successfully defending the world titles she won in 2023 and 2025 in front of a sold-out home crowd.

Varfolomeev delivered a 30.350 -point routine to take gold, with Sofiia Ilteriakova (WG2) finishing second on 29.800 and Mariia Borisova (WG2) claiming bronze with 28.750 .

Brazil’s extraordinary day, meanwhile, was far from over.

The Leoas, who continued their historic streak in the group 3 hoops and 2 pairs of clubs final , defeating newly crowned all-around world champions Spain and Bulgaria to capture their second world title of the day , their second ever.

The penultimate individual apparatus final brought a long-awaited golden moment for Bulgaria’s Stiliana Nikolova . After collecting eight silver medals at previous World Championships, the 20-year-old Bulgarian finally claimed her first individual world title , triumphing in the clubs final with a routine that scored her 30.150 and, with it, the gold.

Nikolova had little time to savour the breakthrough, however, with the ribbon final awaiting her just a few routines later. She carried the same confidence and momentum back onto the carpet, but it was not quite enough to deny Varfolomeev a golden finish to her home World Championships.

Varfolomeev scored 30.500 in the ribbon final to claim her third gold medal of the championships and the 14th world title of her career . Nikolova followed just 0.050 behind with 30.450 for silver, while Borisova rounded out the podium with 29.900 for bronze.

*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.

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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.

Varfolomeev savours golden finish on home soil: “I’m really happy that it ended like this”

Varfolomeev ended these home championships much the way she had envisioned: on top of the podium, giving the German crowd one last show and, perhaps, inspiring a few future rhythmic gymnasts along the way.

After the weight of the all-around competition earlier in the week, Varfolomeev admitted to Olympics.com that the final day brought with it a different feeling. The pressure had eased, allowing Varfolomeev to soak in the atmosphere inside the arena and, importantly, enjoy her gymnastics.

“It was very difficult from the beginning because I knew I could do this, because I worked a lot for this competition,” she told Olympics.com , with four medals hanging around her neck. “But from the other side, it’s Germany. You want to show your best and everything, and of course it’s a lot of pressure .

“I enjoyed today’s competition, I enjoyed the public and my performances.”

And while there were plenty of golden moments to choose from across the championships, Varfolomeev said that today’s ribbon final was her favourite.

“At the end of the competition, to sing one more time, the last time, the national anthem of Germany, it’s something unreal.”

“ I’m really happy that it ended like this .”

Varfolomeev’s victory in the ribbon final brought her 14th world title , another addition to a collection that has grown rapidly over the past several seasons. Yet for the reigning Olympic champion, the accumulation of medals has not diminished the value of each one on its own.

“ Every medal means a lot to me ,” she said. “Every day, you try to do this work until these medals, and of course behind every medal there is a lot of work. It means a lot to me.”

After some well-deserved time off, that work will continue.

With Frankfurt now behind her, the road stretches towards the next major targets. The 2027 Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan, will offer another opportunity to add to her growing collection, with the championships set for 15-19 September 2027.

Beyond that lies an even bigger destination: the Olympic Games Los Angeles 2028 .

Darja Varfolomeev win’s ribbon finals on 16 August 2026 at the 2026 Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships

Picture by Pedro R. Coelho

14 - 30 July 2028

LA 2028 | Olympic Games | USA