Stiliana Nikolova Wins the Grand Prix International in Marbella
Bulgarian gymnast Stiliana Nikolova, who finished second last year and third in 2022, has emerged as the winner of the 2024 Grand Prix International in Marbella. The event was held at the Elena Benítez Sports Palace in San Pedro Alcántara. Nikolova was joined on the podium by Uzbekistan’s Takhmina Ikromova and the current world champion, Germany’s Darja Varfolomeev.
Eleventh Edition of the Grand Prix International
For the eleventh year in a row, the world’s best athletes, excluding those from Russia and Belarus, gathered in Marbella, one of the global venues for the Grand Prix International of rhythmic gymnastics. The event, held at the Sports Palace of San Pedro, also featured tournaments for young talents.
Nikolova’s Pursuit of Victory
The victory went to Stiliana Nikolova, who scored 132.169 points. The Bulgarian gymnast had been chasing this win for the past few years, having finished third in 2022 and second in 2023. This time, she managed to reach the top of the podium, clearly dominating the competition and achieving her best score in the ball event.
Ikromova and Varfolomeev Secure Second and Third Place
Takhmina Ikromova, the sole representative from Uzbekistan, finished second with 128.369 points. The third spot was claimed by the current world champion, Russia’s Darja Varfolomeev, who competes for Germany, with a score of 127.936. The highest-scoring Spanish participant was Russia-born Polina Berezina, who scored 123.404 points.
Results of the Apparatus Finals
In the apparatus finals among the top eight from the previous day, Stiliana Nikolova won in clubs and ribbon. Germany’s Darja Varfolomeev triumphed in hoop, while the ball event was won by Elzhana Taniyeva from Kazakhstan.
Weekend Full of Gymnastics
The event kicked off on Saturday morning with the National Team Tournament of the Malaga Provincial Council, featuring over 400 gymnasts from all over Spain. On Sunday, the GAOFEI Team Tournament took place, with victories for Sierra Madrid (absolute), CGR Marbella (junior), Club Granada (child) and GR Huelva (Alevín).
International Andalusia Cup Junior Category
In the International Andalusia Cup in the junior category, Lithuania’s Gryte Stankeviciute emerged victorious, followed by her compatriot Nijole Mickute and Spain’s Violeta Bacigalupo.
History of the Grand Prix International
The Grand Prix International is a competition that tours major European capitals. It was first held in Marbella in 2007, with four consecutive editions until 2010, and then resumed from 2017 to 2019. The event could not be held in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic but was resumed in 2021. Therefore, this year’s event marked the eleventh edition.
