The star of the Italian rhythmic Sofia Raffaeli makes an encore at the European Championships in Baku

Sofia Raffaeli won the gold medal in ball at the Rhythmic Gymnastics European Championships in Baku. The blue, silver yesterday in the individual all around competition, scored 33,650 points, surpassing the Bulgarian Stiliana Nikolova and the Azeri Zohra Aghamirova. In the hoop final, Raffaeli finished in fourth place (32-50 points), while the gold medal was won by the Ukrainian Viktoriia Onopriienko (33.250). The athlete from the Marches will also participate in the final for clubs.

The Butterflies settle for fifth place

With the total in the All around of 63,150 points, Alessia Maurelli, Martina Centofanti, Agnese Duranti, Daniela Mogurean, Laura Paris and Alessia Russocoached by Emanuela Maccarani and the staff of the Desio Academy, finish behind Ukraine (64,100). Bulgaria (68,050) is the new continental champion who succeeds Israel (67,300), who won the title in Tel Aviv in 2022 and who today in Baku must settle for second place. The bronze medal goes to the hosts. With 65,400, the Azeri team maintains the result obtained last year. Returning from six medals in the 2023 World Cup circuit which will close with the Italian stage in Milan (July 21-23), the Airmen of the Air Force began the general competition in the first group, starting with the 5 circles, accompanied by the song by Michael Jackson “They don’t care about us” with which they made the audience dance at the Milli Gymnastics Arena in Baku and rated with 34,150 points.

In the next rotation it was the turn of the exercise with 3 ribbons and 2 balls where they scored 29 net points – mounted on the notes of a medley “Mercy in darkness and Strength of Thousand Men” by Bergesen/Phoenix – but soiled by two tool losses on collaborations.

«I’m really happy because today we’re back on the platform with the team that had started in winter preparation to compete on this year’s big occasions – Maccarani declared at the end of the match – A few days to see them working together again and I think this is the departure towards what will then be the most important goal for us: the World Championships in Valencia, qualifying for the Paris 2024 Olympics. Two finals tomorrow. The girls have to concentrate and they will certainly treasure today’s experience to be even more determined tomorrow (today, ed)». In fact, the Butterflies secure tomorrow’s specialty finals, live on Rai Sport from 2pm to 4.30pmItalian hours.