Super show despite mistakes: Varfolomeev creates a firestorm of enthusiasm
Darja Varfolomeev is one of the most promising participants in the German team. At her outstanding Olympic debut, she easily reaches the final in rhythmic gymnastics, even allowing herself a slip-up with the hoop.
Darja Varfolomeev glided through the La Chapelle Arena in Paris like pop icon Michael Jackson. With a skillful moonwalk, the young star of rhythmic gymnastics already sparked a frenzy with her first exercise with the ball. This outstanding performance allowed the 17-year-old to compensate for a slip-up with the hoop, ultimately qualifying as second for the all-around final of the top ten on Friday (2:15 PM) with ease.
"I was completely relaxed with the ball at first," Varfolomeev said. "Then I realized how many people were there, that I was now at the Olympics. Then I made a small mistake with the hoop, but I quickly put it behind me. The rehearsal is now over. I want to be careful tomorrow where I was a bit shaky. It will be fine!" With the ball and clubs, Varfolomeev was ahead on Thursday, despite minor problems with the ribbons, she was third, only with the hoop did she fall to 13th. Nevertheless, only the five-time world champion Sofia Raffaeli from Italy placed ahead of her, with a difference of 2.250 points between the favorites.
A Gold Medal Contender
The first and so far only Olympic medal for Germany in rhythmic gymnastics was won by Regina Weber, mother of football national player Leroy Sané, in 1984 in Los Angeles with bronze. Varfolomeev, who is considered a gold medal contender, could make history. And that just five years after the decisive step away from Siberia to the federal support point Fellbach-Schmiden. She left her family behind, found a new home in Baden-Württemberg. In the top of her sport, which she stormed and suddenly pushed into the spotlight in Germany, Varfolomeev has long since established herself.
The fact that she only comes into play towards the end of the games is rather seen as an advantage by Varfolomeev, who does not feel any additional excitement. "You can also see from home how big it all is," she said. The only thing she regretted was that the gymnasts had missed the opening ceremony.
36 Hours of Work per Week
At the World Championships last year in Valencia, the athlete of TSV Schmiden became the first German gymnast to win all five individual titles and rose to the new queen of her sport. She then announced that she would work even harder to be perfectly prepared for the world event in the French capital. Her 36 hours of work per week paid off in her strong ball exercise, but she should avoid mistakes like the one with the hoop in the final.
This year, she has not been flawless by any means. At the European Championships, Varfolomeev finished third in the all-around behind the Bulgarian Stilijana Nikolowa and Raffaeli. Afterwards, she surprisingly lost her German championship title in the all-around to Margarita Kolosov, who convinced as fifth in the qualification and also progressed smoothly.
Darja Varfolomeev's impressive performance in the Olympic Games has once again proven her status as a gold medal contender. Despite a slip-up with the hoop during her outstanding debut in the all-round final of the top ten, she managed to qualify second and has the opportunity to make history, following in the footsteps of Germany's first Olympic medalist in rhythmic gymnastics, Regina Weber.
