GYMNASTICS: Averina & Averina dominate opening Rhythmic World Cup as Russia sweeps all eight events

Dominant: Dina and Arina Averina (RUS)

Russia has dominated the Rhythmic Gymnastics discipline from 2002 to today. The current custodians of the sport are the twins Dina and Arina Averina, now 20, who between them swept all five individual events at the first Rhythmic World Cup of the season, held in Pesaro, Italy.

Dina, the two-time reigning World All-Around Champion, won the All-Around, Clubs and Ribbon events, while Arina took the Hoop and Ball titles. Between them, they won nine medals in the five events and went 1-2 in three of them.

Russia also won the three group events for a sweep of all eight gold medals. Honorable mention goes to Boryana Kaleyn (BUL), who won the All-Around bronze and silver in Ball for the only other individual to win multiple medals. Summaries:

FIG Rhythmic World Cup
Pesaro (ITA) ~ 5-7 April 2019
(Full results here)

All-Around: 1. Dina Averina (RUS), 85.750; 2. Arina Averina (RUS), 83.750; 3. Boryana Kaleyn (BUL), 80.400; 4. Katsiaryna Halkina (BLR), 79.600; 5. Katrin Taseva (BUL), 79.050. Also: 6. Evita Griskenas (USA), 78.700; … 35. Lili Mizuno (USA), 68.000.

Hoop: 1. Arina Averina (RUS), 22.050; 2. Dina Averina (RUS), 21.800; 3. Halkina (BLR), 21.200; 4. Taseva (BUL), 21.200; 5. Khrystyna Pohranycna (UKR), 20.750. Also in the top 10: 6. Griskenas (USA), 20.600.

Ball: 1. Arina Averina (RUS), 21.400; 2. Kaleyn (BUL), 21.300; 3. Dina Averina (RUS), 21.100; 4. Milena Baldassari (ITA), 20.800; 5. Taseva (BUL), 20.250. Also in the top 10: 8. Griskenas (USA), 19.850.

Clubs: 1. Dina Averina (RUS), 22.700; 2. Arina Averina (RUS), 21.500; 3. Alina Harnasko (BLR), 21.200; 4. Kaelyn (BUL), 21.050; 5. Alexandra Agiurgiuculese (ITA), 20.750. Also in the top 10: 10. Griskenas (USA), 19.650.

Ribbon: 1. Dina Averina (RUS), 20.150; 2. Salome Pazhava (GEO), 19.700; 3. Taseva (BUL), 19.150; 4. Halkina (BLR), 19.150; 5. Arina Averina (RUS), 18.800. Also in the top 10: 7. Griskenas (USA), 18.600.

Group All-Around: 1. Russia, 51.050; 2. Bulgaria, 49.600; 3. Italy, 49.400. Also: 12. United States, 40.400.

Group/5 Balls: 1. Russia, 25.250; 2. Belarus, 24.050; 3. Italy, 24.000. Also: 9. United States, 22.250.

Group/3 Hoops+2 Clubs: 1. Russia, 25.800; 2. Ukraine, 25.700; 3. Bulgaria, 25.650. Also: 14. United States, 18.150.