Clubs reigning European junior champion, Amalia Maria Lică of Romania, Greece’s Seniors Group and Bulgaria’s Juniors Group, excelled on Day 1 of the 8th Aphrodite Cup held at the Faliro Olympic Indoor hall.

Eira Laura Gkikoka, Elpida Egglezou, Kalomira Karoki, Irini Konisti, Christina Riga and Marietta Topollai of Greece amassed 30.400 points in their routine with 5 Hoops to top Day 1 classification in Seniors Group All-Around, ahead of Team USA (29.300) and Kazakhstan (27.250). Next for the Seniors on Saturday (March 11) comes the 3 Ribbons + 2 Balls routine.

Romania’s 14-year-old Lică, who in 2022 became the first Romanian to win gold in an individual apparatus final at the European Championships, leads the Junior Individual All Around rankings with a difference of 1.350 points from second-placed Liliana Lewinska of Poland.

Lică’s routine with the Hoop earned 30.250 and the respective one with the Ball 31.650, for a total of 61.900.

Lewinska’s respective scores were 29.150 and 31.400, a sum of 60.550. Bulgaria’s Nikol Todorova trailed with 59.550 – 29.900 in the Hoop and 29.650 in the Ball.

All three gymnasts qualified to the two apparatus finals as well, with Lica getting the best scores in both events.

Paraskevi Bilia gave local fans a reason to cheer on with her performance with the Hoop which earned her 28.300 points.

Here’s the list with the apparatus finallists from Day 1.

Hoop
1. LICA Amalia Maria ROU 30.250
2. TODOROVA Nikol BUL 29.900
3. POUSI Chiara ITA 29.300
4. LEWINSKA Liliana POL 29.150
5. FRANCO Alona Tal ISR 28.950
6. TUGOLUKOVA Vera CYP 28.900
7. KUSHERBAYEVA Dariya KAZ 28.600
8. BILIA Paraskevi GRE 28.300

Ball
1. LICA Amalia Maria ROU 31.650
2. LEWINSKA Liliana POL 31.400
3. POLISHCHUK Regina ISR 31.150
4. MEIRZHANOVA Aiym KAZ 31.100
5. PUSCH Lada GER 30.000
6. TODOROVA Nikol BUL 29.650
7. FEDELE Asia ITA 29.250
8. DE LA ROSA Natalie USA 29.050

Action for the 87 junior gymnasts resumes on Saturday (March 11) with the two other apparatus (Clubs and Ribbon) on schedule.

Bulgaria got the upper hand after the first part of the Juniors Group competition with 5 Ropes earning 29.000 points. Italy was second in 28.800, a mere 0.200 behind, while hosts Greece completed the top-three set with 28.150.

A total of 14 teams were in action on Day 1. The Group’s 5 Balls routines are ahead on Saturday (March 11).