The Rhythmic Gymnastics World Cup is fast approaching Baku, with the Azerbaijani capital set to host one of the key stages of the international calendar.
As reported by İdman.Biz, the opening stage of the series has already taken place in Sofia, with the next stop scheduled for Tashkent before attention shifts to Baku. From April 17, the National Gymnastics Arena will host athletes from 39 countries, including both global stars and rising talents who have already made a name for themselves on the international stage.
Sofia Raffaeli
The Italian star enjoyed a breakthrough year in 2022, winning five gold medals at the World Championships in Sofia, including the all-around, ball, hoop and ribbon finals, as well as the team event. She later added three silver medals and one bronze at the World Championships in Valencia, and also claimed European titles in Baku with the ball and clubs, alongside an all-around silver.
Raffaeli also reached the podium at the Paris Olympics, winning bronze. In the current cycle, she became world champion in the ribbon event, adding bronze medals in the ball and all-around. She has also impressed in Baku before, winning the all-around at the 2025 World Cup.
Darja Varfolomeev
Germany’s representative is an Olympic champion, a ten-time world champion and a three-time European champion. She has been repeatedly named her country’s top athlete. Her first world gold came four years ago in Sofia, where she won the clubs event. The following year, she dominated the World Championships in Valencia, winning five gold medals across all events and adding a team silver.
Varfolomeev has also succeeded in Baku, winning gold in the ribbon at the 2023 European Championships and repeating that success in Tallinn last year. She has consistently performed strongly in Azerbaijan’s capital, taking two gold medals at last year’s World Cup.
Stiliyana Nikolova
The Bulgarian gymnast has emerged as the clear leader of her national team following the retirement of Boryana Kaleyn. She made her World Championship debut in Sofia, winning all-around bronze and silver medals in hoop, clubs and ribbon. The following year, she helped Bulgaria secure team gold at the World Championships in Guadalajara.
Nikolova is a seven-time European champion and achieved a golden hat-trick at last year’s European Championships in Estonia. Baku can be considered a lucky venue for her, as she has won both the European Cup and team all-around gold at the 2023 European Championships in the city.
Taisiia Onofriichuk
The Ukrainian gymnast has quickly risen to prominence. She first made an impact three years ago, winning silver with clubs at the junior World Championships, before stepping up to senior level and claiming bronze at the European Championships the following season.
Onofriichuk is well known to Azerbaijani fans. Last year, she won the highest number of medals at the Baku World Cup stage, claiming gold with the hoop, silver in the all-around, ball and ribbon, and bronze with the clubs. She finished ninth at the Paris Olympics and began the new season strongly with victories at the Grand Prix events in Thiais and Marbella, as well as three gold medals at the World Cup in Sofia.
Marina Malpica
The Mexican gymnast is one of the leading figures in the Americas and boasts an impressive record. She has won eight medals at the Pan American Championships since 2017, including all-around bronze and team silver in Daytona Beach.
Among her major achievements are gold medals in the hoop final in Rio and the ball event in Guadalajara. Malpica has also excelled at the Central American and Caribbean Games, where she won five gold medals at the most recent edition in San Salvador.
