Italian
In the first seasonal stage of the World Cup, Sofia Raffaeli brings home four medals. Silver for the butterflies in the mixed event
SOFIA (BULGARIA) – Italy starts off well in the first seasonal stage of the World Cup in rhythmic gymnastics. The big star once again is Sofia Raffaeli who, after celebrating third place in the all-around competition, managed to achieve the feat of winning three more medals: silver in the clubs and two bronzes, in the hoop and in the ball.
Great performance also for Le Farfalle who managed to take silver in the mixed challenge. An excellent team performance that already gives hope for the upcoming commitments.
Raffaeli Poker
A bronze medal on the first day of final eight in the all-around competition for a champion like Sofia Raffaeli can only be considered a small appetizer. And indeed, on the second day at the Arena Armeec in Sofia (nomen omen), a place that brings her back to the victory of the 2022 World Championship, the police officer from Marche hits three out of four. A new competition program, developed with her new coach, Amina Zaripova, and debuting in the World Cup.
It starts with the circle where the blue one scores 29.600. The winner is the Ukrainian Taisiia Onofriichuk with 30.400 ahead of the neutral gymnast Sofiia Ilteriakova, who takes the silver medal with 29.700. In any case, a good bronze considering the efforts of the previous days for the all-around qualifications.
Another bronze follows immediately with the ball. A score of 28.550 that is not enough to surpass the home favorite Stiliana Nikolova, silver with 28.900, and the unstoppable young talent of Onofriichuk, gold again at 29.000.
Raffaeli then tries with the clubs, managing this time to surpass Nikolova, with the same score of 29.500 but the better execution rewards the Italian, who places between the two Bulgarians. The gold goes to Eva Brezalieva, who wins with 29.650.
Disappointment at the finish line with a mistake that affects the podium and relegates to seventh place with 26.450 points.
Silver Butterflies
After the positive feedback received in the international tournaments in Tartu and Marbella, the Butterflies won silver in the mixed routine with 3 hoops and 2 pairs of clubs. The team composed of Serena Ottaviani (G.S. Aeronautica Militare), Chiara Badii, Sofia Sicignano, and Bianca Vignozzi (Raffaello Motto), Sasha Mukhina, and Gaia Pozzi (Ginnastica S. Giorgio ‘79) did well to maintain focus and execute a clean and precise routine.
A result of the hard work of these months at the federal center in Chieti with the techniques of Germani Germani and Monia Di Matteo.
Now the World Cup circuit will continue with the next scheduled stops in Tashkent (April 10-12), Baku (April 17-19), and the final in Milano (July 10-12) at the Unipol Forum in Assago, with the home crowd for the big occasion.
Photo Credits: Federginnastica.it
