0.3-point drama at the home game: Fateful mistake costs Darja Varfolomeev a World Championship final

Fateful mistake costs Darja Varfolomeev a World Championship final

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02:57

14.08.2026 | 06:10 AM

Darja Varfolomeev is hoping for plenty of precious metal at the home World Championships in rhythmic gymnastics. She is the hottest title favorite in three events. However, one medal hope is already gone.

Setback for Darja Varfolomeev at the home World Championships in rhythmic gymnastics in Frankfurt: After a flawed routine with the clubs in the qualification, the Olympic champion missed the apparatus final, which takes place on Sunday. "There was still a small hope," said the 2024 Olympic champion in rhythmic gymnastics. But when all her competitors had also completed their routines, she was 0.3 points short. 27.950 points were only enough for ninth place; she would have needed to finish at least eighth for the medal decision. Nevertheless, she still has the chance for four World Championship titles in the Frankfurt Festhalle.

With the ribbon, the 19-year-old presented a very strong routine shortly after her performance with the clubs and received 30.050 points, placing her first in the qualification with this apparatus. She will go for gold for the first time this Friday in the all-around final (from 4 PM), with a total of 89.000 points she was better than any of her competitors in the qualification. On Sunday, she still has medal chances with the ribbon as well as with the hoop and the ball. The qualification with the latter two apparatuses already took place on Wednesday. With the ball, Varfolomeev took first place (29.700 points), with the hoop it was enough for fourth place (29.050).

"It is a shame for me that the clubs went the way they did for me. I made a mistake that cost me the final," said Varfolomeev, "it is very, very annoying. It was the goal to reach all apparatus finals. It was the goal to reach all apparatus finals. Nevertheless, I am satisfied that I am through. I made it to three apparatus finals, I made it to the all-around final. There I will try to show what we have trained." Varfolomeev is the defending champion in the all-around as well as with the ball, the clubs, and the ribbon. Until things get serious on the floor, she wants to "rest" and "take time for myself," she announced: "So that we can then come into the hall with full strength."

Lada Pusch and Anastasia Simakova also started for the German Gymnastics Federation (DTB) on Thursday. After her World Championship debut the previous day, Pusch reached 25.200 points with the clubs and thus misses both the all-around final and all three apparatus finals that would have originally been possible for her. Simakova, who is only competing with the ribbon in Frankfurt, received 24.400 points for her routine after a major mistake and will also not be in the apparatus final.