Stiliyana Nikolova wins gold at Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships

Bulgarian rhythmic gymnasts achieved significant success at the World Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships held in Frankfurt, Germany, securing a total of six medals: one gold, three silver, and two bronze.

Stiliyana Nikolova emerged as the standout performer, winning the gold medal in the clubs final with a score of 30.150. This marks Bulgaria’s first gold medal in this discipline in 25 years. Nikolova also earned silver medals in the individual all-around and the ribbon final, as well as a silver in the team competition. Notably, her performance in the all-around secured Bulgaria’s first qualification quota for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.

The achievement is also a historic family milestone; Nikolova’s mother, Paulina, was a two-time world champion with the Bulgarian group in 1983 and 1985, making them the first mother-daughter duo to both hold world titles in Bulgarian rhythmic gymnastics. Coach Valentina Ivanova attributed the success to intensive training and rigorous preparation.