World Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships Ready to Return to Bulgaria

Bulgaria is set to welcome the world's top athletes for the Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships in Sofia, which will also offer Olympic qualification for Tokyo 2020.

The Arena Armeec will stage an event which is the first competition in any of the gymnastic disciplines to offer Olympic berths.

Bulgaria has previously hosted the Championships in 1969 and 1987 but these events took place in Varna.

The 2018 Championships, beginning tomorrow, marks the first time that the Bulgarian capital will host the competition which is held annually with the exception of Olympic years.

Action will take place in five individual events - the all-around, hoop, ball, clubs and ribbon, as well as team contests.

"Bulgaria has played a pivotal part in rhythmic gymnastics for more than half a century, and we thank the Bulgarian federation for hosting the prestigious World Championships for the third time," said International Gymnastics Federation President Morinari Watanabe.

"As the first Olympic qualifier for Tokyo 2020, this event will be especially exciting and we look forward to the outstanding performances of our athletes at the Arena Armeec."

The local Organising Committee President Iliana Raeva echoed Watanabe's excitement.

"It is a great honour for us to host the World Championships in Bulgaria, a country in which millions of people follow the sport," she said.

"Thirty-one years after the Worlds in Varna, we are delighted once again to say 'welcome', with a Bulgarian rose and deep emotion, to the beautiful and elegant world of rhythmic gymnastics."

All of the individual medallists from the 2017 World Championships in Pesaro, Italy are scheduled to perform in Sofia.

At the last edition, Russia dominated the...