For the second successive year, Rhythmic Gymnastics Olympic and world champions, as well as the sport’s rising stars pledge to offer a unique three-day spectacle, between March 17-19, at the 2023 FIG World Cup.
Admission to the host venue, the Faliro Olympic Indoor Hall (aka Tae Kwon Do) is free of charge.
The World Cup leg, which was brought to Greece by the Hellenic Gymnastics Federation and is co-organised with the Municipality of Palaio Faliro and the local club G.O.P.F. Armonia, meets the highest standards set by the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG).
Among the top 140 gymnasts representing 31 countries, are world champions Sofia Raffaeli and Milena Baldassarri of Italy, Bulgaria’s Stiliana Nikolova, and Ekaterina Vendeneeva of Slovenia.
The world’s top Groups will also feature in Palaio Faliro, including world champions Bulgaria, Olympic bronze medallists Italy, as well as the Ukraine, which arrived in Greece thanks to the valuable contribution and support of the Hellenic Olympic Committee.
The focus will also be on the Greek gymnasts, who will try their best in this first test of a pivotal year, which includes the European Championships in Baku in May, and above all the pre-Olympic World Championships in Valencia in August, where qualification to the 2024 Olympic Games will be decided.
In the women’s Individual disciplines, Greece will be represented by Panagiota Lytra, who won bronze with the Clubs and was 5th with the Ball in last year’s World Cup in Palai Faliro, and the more experienced Maria Dervisi.
On Friday (March 17), gymnasts will present their routines with the Hoop and the Ball and on Saturday (March 18), the respective ones with the Clubs and the Ribbon. The total score from the four disciplines will determine the final classification in the Individual All-Around, while the top eight in each event will qualify to the apparatus finals held on Sunday (March 19).
In the Women’s Groups, the hosts’ team consisted of Eira Laura Gkikoka, Elpida Egglezou, Kalomira Karoki, Irini Konisti, Hristina Riga, and Marietta Topollai, who debuted with the new line-up at the Aphrodite Cup last week, will have another chance to show their potential against very strong opponents.
A total of 15 Groups will compete on Friday (March 17) with the 5 Hoops, and on Saturday (March 18) with the 3 Ribbons/2 Balls.
The two routines’ scores will decide the Groups All-Around winners, while the top eight nations in each discipline will qualify to the apparatus finals on Sunday (March 19).
Institutional Supporters of the FIG World Cup are the Region of Attica, OASA, and STASY.
The event is being held under the auspices of the General Secretariat of Sports, the General Secretariat of Demographic and Family Policy and Gender Equality, and PSAT, while it is supported by the environmental organisation Institute Team for the World Environmental Alliance 2004+.
Media sponsors are ERT and ERA SPORT.