Varfolomeev is going to be in the history books with a super show
Olympic History: Germany Wins First Gold Medal in Rhythmic Gymnastics. Darja Varfolomeev Tops the Podium After a Stunning All-Around Performance. Margarita Kolosov Narrowly Misses the Podium.
Darja Varfolomeev has made history. 345 days after her five-event triumph at the World Championships, the 17-year-old from Schmiden has become the first German to win an Olympic gold medal in rhythmic gymnastics. Varfolomeev triumphed in Paris with a score of 142.850 points in the all-around competition using hoop, ball, clubs, and ribbon, and broke down in tears upon hearing the results. This was also the first medal for the German Gymnastics Federation (DTB) at the Games in Paris and the first gymnastics Olympic medal since Regina Weber won bronze in Los Angeles in 1984.
Second place went to Borjana Kaleyn of Bulgaria with 140.600 points, followed by Italian favorite Sofia Raffaeli with 136.300 points. German all-around champion Margarita Kolosov from Potsdam finished a strong fourth with 135.250 points.
Varfolomeev had a shaky performance in the qualification the previous day. She had to use a replacement hoop after the first one rolled away, and a knot in the ribbon cost her valuable points. Despite these setbacks, she finished second in the qualification behind Raffaeli and ahead of Kaleyn.
Last Medal Won by Leroy Sané's Mother
In the final, Varfolomeev was flawless. She presented her high-difficulty routines with focus and apparent ease, building a 2.3-point lead after three apparatuses. After the final ribbon routine, she hugged her coach, Yuliya Raskina, in relief.
Rhythmic gymnastics has been an Olympic sport since 1984, when Regina Weber became the first and only German to win a medal, a bronze. Weber is the mother of football national player Leroy Sané. Varfolomeev's gold medal has also capped an extraordinary career. She started the sport at the age of three, following her mother. At the age of 12, she moved from Barnaul, Russia, to Germany without her parents and without knowing the language. Thanks to her German grandfather, she was able to change citizenship. Now, she lives in Fellbach near Stuttgart with her father and a Chihuahua. Her mother was present at the gold medal win in Paris.
"She had potential when she arrived," said Raskina, who has been coaching Varfolomeev since she moved to Germany. As a junior, Varfolomeev was "okay," Raskina recalled. "We built her up slowly, without stress." Varfolomeev's determination has made her the face of German rhythmic gymnastics. Two years ago, she won her first World Championship title with clubs, and last year, she achieved a five-event victory in Valencia, a feat previously accomplished only by Russian gymnast Yevgeniya Kanayeva in 2009 and 2011.
The Olympic Games 2024 in Paris is eagerly anticipated, with Darja Varfolomeev's gold medal victory in rhythmic gymnastics at the 2020 Games serving as a testament to Germany's potential in the sport. Regina Weber, the mother of football national player Leroy Sané, was the last German to win a medal in rhythmic gymnastics, achieving a bronze at the 1984 Olympic Games.
