GYMNASTICS Preview: Rhythmic Worlds medalist Soldatova headlines World Challenge Cup in Portimao

2018 World Ribbon champ Aleksandra Soldatova (RUS)

The fourth FIG Rhythmic Gymnastics World Challenge Cup in four weeks will be held starting Friday in Portimao (POR). The field is not as good as last week, but there are some noteworthy competitors:

● Aleksandra Soldatova (RUS) ~ 2018 Worlds Ribbon gold medalist; All-Around bronze
● Alina Harnasko (BLR) ~ 2017-19 European Team silver medalist
● Alexandra Agiurgiuculese (ITA) ~ 2018 Worlds Ball bronze medalist
● Milena Baldassarri (ITA) ~ 2018 World Ribbon silver medalist
Laura Zeng (USA) ~ Five-time U.S. All-Around champ (2015-19)
Camilla Feeley (USA) ~ 2019 Pan Am Games All-Around silver medalist

Qualifications will be held Friday and Saturday, with the Apparatus finals on Sunday.

Prize money will be CHF 700-500-450-300-250-200-150-100 for the top eight places in the All-Around and CHF 600-450-300-200-150-100-100-100 for the individual Apparatus finals. Look for results here.

The fifth stage of the FIG World Challenge Cup series is in Szombathely (HUN) this week, this time only for individual apparatus, with no All-Around. The field includes an Olympic gold medalist and two more World Championships medal winners:

● David Huddleston (BUL) ~ 2019 Mersin World Challenge Cup Vault silver
● Artem Dolgopyat (ISR) ~ 2017 Worlds Floor silver medalist
● Saso Bertoncelj (SLO) ~ 2018 European Pommel Horse silver medalist
● Oleg Verniaiev (UKR) ~ 2016 Olympic Parallel Bars Champion; All-Around silver
● Igor Radivilov (UKR) ~ 2014-17 Worlds Vault silver medalist
● Petro Pakhniuk (UKR) ~ 2019 European Parallel Bars silver medalist

Qualification will be on Friday and the event finals on Saturday and Sunday.

Prize money per event will be CHF 800-600-400-300-250-200-150-100 for the top eight places. Look for results here.