SOFIA, May 26. /TASS/. The 2026 European Championships in Rhythmic Gymnastics, which kicks off in Bulgaria on May 27, will be the Russian team’s first major international tournament in five years where they will be taking part under the national flag and to the tune of the country’s anthem.
In all, 362 gymnasts representing 43 countries have been registered to participate in the European tournament with 254 athletes competing at the professional level and 108 in amateur competitions. The youth competitions at the championship will be held only in individual exercises, while the pros will compete in both individual and group exercises.
The upcoming European championship in Bulgaria serves as the qualifying tournament for the 2026 World Championships in Rhythmic Gymnastics that will be hosted by Germany’s Frankfurt-am-Main in mid-August. Countries whose athletes finish in the top-12 in the individual all-around event will have the right to submit the candidacies of two or three gymnasts for the world championships, while the rest of the national federations at the tournament in Bulgaria will be able to submit one candidate each.
The Russian national team will be represented in Bulgaria in individual exercises by Maria Borisova and Sofia Ilteryakova. In group exercises the team is represented by Arina Lysenko, Nelli Reutskaya, Nikol Andronchik, Daria Melnik, Alyona Seliverstova and Alina Proshchalykina. Russia’s team in the youth competitions at the European championship includes Yana Zaikina, Ksenia Savinova, Eva Chevtayeva and Alesya Naifonova (substitute).
