Rachel Stoyanov

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Rachel Stoyanov
Rachel Stoyanov - 2024 Sofia World Cup 5 Hoops Final 5 (cropped).jpg
Stoyanov in 2024
Personal information
Alternative name(s)Rachel
Nickname(s)Reichi
Born (2003-03-14) March 14, 2003 (age 22)
Los Angeles, United States
Gymnastics career
Discipline Rhythmic gymnastics
Country
represented
Flag of Bulgaria.svg Bulgaria
(2021 - present)
Former countries representedFlag of North Macedonia.svg North Macedonia
ClubLevski
Head coach(es) Vesela Dimitrova
Assistant coach(es) Mihaela Maevska, Yasena Stoyneva
Former coach(es)Neshka Robeva
World ranking 1 WC [1]
Medal record
International Gymnastics Competitions
Event1st2nd3rd
World Championships 310
European Championships 510
Grand Prix Series 321
FIG World Cup 552
European Cup 322
Total19115
Representing Flag of Bulgaria.svg Bulgaria
Rhythmic Gymnastics
World Championships
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2022 Sofia Group All-Around
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2022 Sofia 3 ribbon + 2 balls
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2023 Valencia Team
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 2025 Rio de Janeiro Team
European Championships
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2022 Tel Aviv Team
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2023 Baku Group All-Around
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2023 Baku Team
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2024 Budapest Group All-Around
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2024 Budapest Team
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 2023 Baku 5 Hoops
European Cup
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2024 Baku 3 Ribbons + 2 Balls
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2025 Baku Cross Battle
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2025 Burgas 3 Balls & 2 Hoops
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 2025 Burgas Cross Battle
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 2025 Burgas 5 Ribbons
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 2024 Baku 5 Hoops
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 2025 Baku 5 Ribbons

Rachel Stoyanov (born March 14, 2003) is a Bulgarian rhythmic gymnast. She formerly represented North Macedonia in individual competition until 2021, when she joined the Bulgarian group.

Contents

She is the 2022 World Group all-around champion, a two-time (2023, 2024) European group all-around champion and a three-time (2022-2024) European Team champion.

Gymnastics career

Stoyanov was born in the United States; her mother is from North Macedonia, while her father is from Bulgaria. [2] She started practicing rhythmic gymnastics at the age of 4, when her mother took her to the Levski Club in Sofia, where Neshka Robeva trained her. Although she lived and trained in Bulgaria, she chose to represent North Macedonia as an individual rhythmic gymnast. [3] [4]

Junior

She participated in the 2018 Junior European Championships in Guadalajara, Spain. She was 15th in the individual all-around competition, with her best apparatus being ball and clubs (34th place for both). [5]

Senior

2019

In her first year in the senior category, Stoyanov participated in the Ritam Cup in Serbia, where she obtained bronze in the all-around.

Her first appearance in the senior category and in the FIG World Cup Series was the World Cup Pesaro. That same year she also participated in the Sofia and the Baku World Cups and in the World Cup Challenge in Cluj-Napoca. She also participated in the 2019 Rhythmic Gymnastics European Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan, where she was 42nd in the all-around.

Stoyanov participated in her first world championship, the 2019 World Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan, where she was ranked 68th in the all-around.

2020

In February, Stoyanov participated in the Irina Deleanu Cup in Bucharest, Romania, where she placed eighth in the all-around.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, she was unable to compete in the FIG World Cup series, which were cancelled. In October, she participated in the International RG Online Tournament in Moscow organized by Irina Viner, where she obtained ninth place in the all-around and the silver medal with the hoop. She also participated in the International Online Tournament of Julieta Shishmanova, where she obtained silver in the all-around.

At the end of the year, she participated in the 2020 Rhythmic Gymnastics European Championships in Kyiv, Ukraine where she obtained 16th place in the all-around

2021

Stoyanov participated in all four World Cups: the Sofia World Cup in March, Tashkent (where she obtained her best placement) and Baku in April, and Pesaro in May.

In June, she participated in the 2021 Rhythmic Gymnastics European Championships in Varna, Bulgaria, where she made it to the top 24 all-around final and became the first gymnast from North Macedonia to do so. She also had the opportunity to fight for the last remaining place to enter the Olympic Games, the European continental spot. However, she was ranked 23rd in the final and did not obtain the Olympic quota. She also won the "Shooting Star" award. [2]

2022

At the end of the 2021 season, Stoyanov was selected to compete with the Bulgarian group, led by Vesela Dimitrova and her assistant Mihaela Maevska. In February 2022, the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) approved her change of nationality to represent Bulgaria and leave North Macedonia.

Although the first competition of the Bulgarian group was in March, at the Grand Prix in Marbella, [6] Stoyanov was selected to compete beginning the World Cup Challenge in Pamplona in May, where they obtained fourth place in the all-around, fifth in the 5 hoops final and the silver medal in the mixed apparatus final with 3 ribbons and 2 balls. In June they competed in the World Cup in Pesaro, where the Bulgarian group won the silver medal all-around and the mixed apparatus final, as well as the bronze medal in the 5 hoops final. [7]

She was selected to compete at 2022 Rhythmic Gymnastics European Championships in Tel Aviv, Israel with the group, along with her teammates Zhenina Trashlieva, Sofia Ivanova, Kamelia Petrova, Vaya Draganova and Margarita Vasileva. They finished fourth in the all-around and 5-hoops final, and 6th in the 3 ribbons and 2 balls final. The Bulgarian group, along with the individuals Boryana Kaleyn and Stiliana Nikolova, also won the team gold. [8]

The group also participated in the last World Cup of the year in August and the last competition before the World Championship, the World Cup Challenge in Cluj-Napoca where the Bulgarian group won gold overall and in the 5 hoops and mixed apparatus final. [9]

In September 2022, Stoyanov, along with her teammates, Sofia Ivanova, Kamelia Petrova, Radina Tomova, Zhenina Trashlieva and Margarita Vasileva, participated in the 2022 Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships in Sofia, Bulgaria. They won the all-around gold and as well as the mixed apparatus final, and they obtained a group quota for the Olympic Games in Paris 2024. [10]

2023

In 2023 the group began their season at the Grand Prix in Marbella. There they won the all-around as well as the both event finals. Later they won all-around silver at the World Cup in Athens, and they won gold in the same category two weeks later in Sofia. [11] At the 2023 European Championships, held in Baku, Stoyanov won gold medals in both the group all-around and team competition. In the 5 hoops final, she won the silver medal, and she placed fifth in the 3 ribbons + 2 balls final. [12]

2024

In March 2024, Stoyanov and the group were fifth in the all-around and 6th with 2 balls and 3 ribbons at the World Cup in Athens. [13] In April they won bronze in the all-around and silver with 3 ribbons and 2 balls at the World Cup in Sofia. [14] In June, the group won the gold medal in the all-around at the 2024 European Championships in Budapest, Hungary. They also won gold in the Team event together with the individual gymnasts, Boryana Kaleyn, Elvira Krasnobaeva and Stiliana Nikolova. They placed fourth in the 5 hoops final and 8th in the 3 ribbons + 2 balls final. [15]

In August, Stoyanov was selected to compete as part of the group at the Olympic Games in Paris, where she, Kamelia Petrova, Sofia Ivanova, Margarita Vasileva and Magdalina Minevska, took fourth place in the final after making mistakes in their 5 hoops routine. [16]

In October it was announced that she made the decision to retire along with Petrova, Vasileva and Minevska. [17] However, it was announced in December that she had decided to continue after all after undergoing surgery on her meniscus and that she was included in the 2025 national team. [18] In the current Bulgarian group are also Sofia Ivanova (also part of the previous team), Viktoria Georgieva, Sofia Pavlova, Suzan Pouladian, Alina Kolomiets, Ivon Boshkilova and Danaya Atanasova. The captain of the team is Sofia Ivanova. [19] [20]

2025

In April 2025 the new group debuted at their domestic World Cup stage in Sofia, being 4th in the All-Around and winning gold with 5 ribbons. [21] In Baku, they won gold in the All-Around and bronze with 3 balls & 2 hoops. [22] [23] In May, they won gold medals in cross battle at both European Cups (Baku, Burgas). Next month, they competed at the 2025 European Championships in Tallinn, Estonia. Due to many mistakes in both routines, they finished on 15th place in all-around and failed to qualify to apparatus finals. In July, the group took 5th place in all-around at Cluj-Napoca World Challenge Cup and won bronze medal in 5 ribbons final. [24] In August she was selected to compete at the 2025 World Championships in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil along Danaya Atanasova, Sofia Ivanova, Alina Kolomiets and Emilia Obretenova. [25] They took 6th place in the All-Around, after a drop in mixed routine, winning silver in the team event together with Eva Brezalieva and Stiliana Nikolova. [26]

Detailed Olympic results

YearCompetition DescriptionLocationMusicApparatusRankScore-FinalRankScore-Qualifying
2024Olympics Paris All-around4th67.8001st70.400
Chi Mai, Dona Is Sick
by Ennio Morricone, Bulgarian Voices
5 Hoops7th34.1002nd37.700
Someone else (Acapella)'
by Allegro
3 Ribbons + 2 Balls1st33.7002nd32.700

See also

References

  1. "Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique". www.gymnastics.sport.
  2. 1 2 "The Shooting star award goes to … Rejchl Stojanov (MKD)!". European Gymnastics. June 12, 2021. Retrieved February 2, 2025.
  3. "Rachel STOYANOV". FIG. September 10, 2019.
  4. "ФИГ "направи" Рейчъл Стоянов от северномакедонка българка". 24 Часа. Retrieved March 2, 2022.
  5. "2018 Guadalajara Results Book" (PDF). European Gymnastics. June 3, 2018.
  6. "Гран При Марбея 2022". Българска федерация по художествена гимнастика – новини, събития, награди, информация (in Bulgarian). Retrieved March 13, 2023.
  7. "ОСЕМ МЕДАЛА ЗА БЪЛГАРИЯ СПЕЧЕЛИХА БЪЛГАРСКИТЕ ГИМНАСТИЧКИ ОТ СВЕТОВНАТА КУПА В ПЕЗАРО ИТАЛИЯ". Българска федерация по художествена гимнастика – новини, събития, награди, информация (in Bulgarian). Retrieved March 13, 2023.
  8. "ДЕВЕТ МЕДАЛА ЗА БЪЛГАРИЯ ОТ ШАМПИОНАТА НА ЕВРОПА В ТЕЛ АВИВ – ЧЕТИРИ ЗЛАТНИ, ДВА СРЕБЪРНИ И ТРИ БРОНЗОВИ". Българска федерация по художествена гимнастика – новини, събития, награди, информация (in Bulgarian). Retrieved March 13, 2023.
  9. "Четири титли и общо осем медала за България от Световната купа по художествена гимнастика в Клуж-Напока (обобщение)". Българска федерация по художествена гимнастика – новини, събития, награди, информация (in Bulgarian). Retrieved March 13, 2023.
  10. "2022 World Championships Result Book" (PDF). gym.longinestiming.
  11. "Gymnastics - World Cup Rhythmic Gymnastics - Sofia 2023 - Results". www.the-sports.org. Retrieved April 2, 2023.
  12. "2023 European Championships Result Book" (PDF). europeangymnastics. Retrieved July 27, 2024.
  13. "Седем медала за България от Световната купа в Гърция! 🥇🥈🥉🇧🇬". Българска федерация по художествена гимнастика - новини, събития, награди, информация (in Bulgarian). Retrieved April 14, 2024.
  14. "Пълен комплект медали от многобоя за България на Световната купа по художествена гимнастика в София". Българска федерация по художествена гимнастика - новини, събития, награди, информация (in Bulgarian). Retrieved April 14, 2024.
  15. "2024 European Championships Result Book" (PDF). europeangymnastics. Retrieved June 8, 2024.
  16. "Group All-Around - Final results" (PDF). Olympics. August 10, 2024. Retrieved August 11, 2024.
  17. България, Булевард (October 6, 2024). "Четири от петте състезателки от ансамбъла ни по художествена гимнастика прекратяват кариерите си - Булевард България". boulevardbulgaria.bg (in Bulgarian). Retrieved October 6, 2024.
  18. "Весела Димитрова обяви ансамбъла, който ще се готви за игрите през 2028 г." [Vessela Dimitrova announced the ensemble that will prepare for the 2028 games.]. SEGA (in Bulgarian). December 22, 2024. Retrieved February 2, 2025.
  19. "Защо три грации напуснаха ансамбъла? Весела Димитрова разясни причините и представи новия състав" (in Bulgarian). Actualno. December 22, 2024. Retrieved February 4, 2025.
  20. "Весела Димитрова обяви ансамбъла, който ще се готви за игрите през 2028 г." (in Bulgarian). Sega. December 22, 2024. Retrieved February 4, 2025.
  21. "Четвърто място в многобоя за ансамбъла на България на Световната купа в София". Българска федерация по художествена гимнастика - новини, събития, награди, информация (in Bulgarian). Retrieved April 6, 2025.
  22. "🏆"Блестят" все по-ярко: Невероятен ансамбъл-жени с шампионска титла в многобоя на Световната купа в Баку!". Българска федерация по художествена гимнастика - новини, събития, награди, информация (in Bulgarian). Retrieved April 21, 2025.
  23. "🇧🇬Пълен комплект медали за България от Световната купа в Баку!". Българска федерация по художествена гимнастика - новини, събития, награди, информация (in Bulgarian). Retrieved April 21, 2025.
  24. "World Challenge Cup". rgform.eu. Retrieved July 27, 2025.
  25. "Стилияна Николова и Ева Брезалиева проведоха подиум тренировка преди Световното първенство по художествена гимнастика в Рио де Жанейро". www.bta.bg (in Bulgarian). Retrieved August 24, 2025.
  26. "Ансамбълът завърши на шесто място на Световното". Flashnews (in Bulgarian). August 24, 2025. Retrieved August 24, 2025.