Preview of the 2021 Rhythmic season

This week the first World Cup event of the year kicks off in the Bulgarian capital Sofia. So far, all Olympic qualifying events are scheduled to go ahead, including our very own European Championships in June in Varna (BUL).

Sofia will set the standard as many gymnasts haven’t competed live in over a year and others since last year’s Europeans. We’ll see new routines, combinations and it will be a check of the athletes’ readiness. Sofia is followed in quick succession by the other World Cup stages, and after that the World Challenge Cup series begin.

While the majority of individuals and groups have already qualified to the Tokyo Olympics, there are two more opportunities to claim that valuable entry ticket: the 2021 World Cup series and the 2021 continental championships. For more info on the Olympic qualifying procedure, check out the FIG website: http://www.gymnastics.sport/site/rules/rules.php

The European Championships will be held in Varna’s Palace of Sport, from 9 to 13 June. Junior groups, senior groups and senior individuals will battle for the medals. Make sure to check our website and social media channels for the latest news!

In just 122 days, the postponed 2020 Tokyo Olympics will ceremoniously open. Will Russian twins Dina and Arina Averina continue their domination of this cycle? Or will it be someone else’s chance to shine and break Russia’s Olympic winning streak? Linoy Ashram (ISR), Alina Harnasko (BLR), Boryana Kaleyn (BUL), Vlada Nikolchenko (UKR), Alexandra Agiurgiuculese (ITA) for example, are keen to show their talent to the world.  And the Japanese group wants to impress on home soil after winning their first ever World title in 2019 but they must expect stiff competition from Italy, Bulgaria and Russia among others. On Friday 6 August, the qualification round will be held for individuals. On Saturday 7 August, the groups attempt to qualify for the final and the individuals get to battle for the medals. The Olympic gymnastics competition ends on Sunday 8 August with the final for groups, just before the Closing Ceremony will mark the end of the Games of the 32^nd Olympiad.

The year continues with the World Challenge Cup in Portimao before finishing off with the World Championships in Kitakyushu (JPN).

2021 Calendar

26 – 28 March	World Cup	Sofia (BUL)
16 – 18 April	World Cup	Tashkent (UZB)
7 – 9 May	World Cup	Baku (AZE)
28 – 30 May	World Cup	Pesaro (ITA)
9 – 13 June	European Championships	Varna (BUL)
25 – 27 June	World Challenge Cup	Cluj-Napoca (ROU)
2 – 4 July	World Challenge Cup	Minsk (BLR)
9 – 11 July	World Challenge Cup	Moscow (RUS)
23 July – 8 August	Games of the XXXII Olympiad	Tokyo (JPN)
8 – 10 October	World Challenge Cup	Portimao (POR)
27 – 31 October	World Championships	Kitakyushu (JPN)