Never underestimate an Olympic champion’s competitive spirit.

That was the key takeaway from the individual all-around final inside Frankfurt’s Festhalle on Friday evening at the 2026 Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships, when Germany’s Darja Varfolomeev won her third consecutive world title in front of a home crowd.

Varfolomeev struggled early with the hoop, earning a 28.300 and opening the door for the likes of Stiliana Nikolova (BUL) and 2022 world all-around champion Sofia Raffaeli (ITA). That hoop score was nearly a point down from qualifying – the 19-year-old had to deliver in the final three routines or risk being usurped.

Deliver she did – Varfolomeev scored a 30.050 with the ball, 31.500 with the clubs, and closed with a 29.650 with the ribbon, totaling a 119.500 – nearly 2 points ahead of silver medalist Nikolova (117.600).

Raffaeli closed with an otherworldly hoop performance, where she is the 2025 world champion, scoring a 30.400 to win the bronze (117.550).

All three medalists also punched tickets for their countries to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games – the first gymnastics quota spots awarded in any discipline. Germany, Bulgaria, and Italy will all have at least one athlete competing at the Games. In addition, three more quota spots will be awarded Saturday to the medalists of the group all-around final.

An honorable mention is deserved for Ukraine’s Taisiia Onofriichuk, who won Group B and finished fourth with a 116.050.

The Americans, Rin Keys and Megan Chu, finished eighth and 11th, respectively. Keys improved all four of her apparatus scores to jump into the top 10 after qualifying 11th. Chu struggled with the ball, in particular, losing nearly 2 points in the final.

The U.S. will have additional opportunities in the lead-up to LA to earn a second quota spot for rhythmic gymnastics. The host country receives one obligatory quota spot.