Paris 2024, who is Sofia Raffaeli ‘Atomic Ant’ with breathtaking medal for Italy at the Olympics

Paris 2024, who is Sofia Raffaeli ‘Atomic Ant’ with breathtaking medal for Italy at the Olympics

Sofia Raffaeli won a historic bronze medal for Italy at the 2024 Paris Olympics in rhythmic gymnastics. Born in Chiaravalle on 19 January 2004, the Italian champion is a star of the Italian National Rhythmic Gymnastics team. The podium at the Games is only the latest of many feats for the “Atomic Ant” Marchigiana. And, it must be said that in this Olympics, Sofia could have even reached the gold medal but two errors in the ball and ribbon exercises compromised the triumph. It remains a beautiful bronze for the 20-year-old Italian, trained by Claudia Mancinelli at Ginnastica Fabriano, with a total of 136,300 points.

Sofia Raffaeli won the first individual medal at the Olympics for Italy in rhythmic gymnasticsthe fourth Olympic medal after those in the team competition in Athens 2004 (silver), London 2012 (bronze) and Tokyo 2020 (bronze).

Sofia Raffaeli was also the first Italian in history to win an individual gold medal at the World Championships in rhythmic gymnastics, she is the 2022 all-around world champion and vice-champion in 2023. It should also be remembered how in 2019 she managed to win silver at the junior world championships in the rope and clubs specialties. Then in 2021 her debut at senior level and third place in the hoop at the absolute world championships that same year. The first and only Italian gymnast to have won a gold in the all-around competition of the world cup (World Cup Athens 2022) and the individual gymnast with the highest score ever in an official international competition: 36.200 in the qualifications of the World Challenge Cup in Cluj Napoca.

Paris 2024, Raffaeli and the Olympic bronze medal: I’m happy, I’m sorry for the mistakes

“I’m very happy because an Olympic medal, what satisfies me the most is having given my best, I’m especially sorry for the ribbon, it’s a bit bitter in the mouth. After the ball I thought I had to do everything right with the clubs. After yesterday (qualifications, ed.) I thought I could win, today I made a mistake and came in third”, the words of Sofia Raffaeli, historic bronze medalist in the individual rhythmic gymnastics competition at the 2024 Paris Olympics. The Italian athlete finished in third place with 136.300 points behind the German Darja Varfolomeev (142.850) and the Bulgarian Boryana Kaleyn (140.600). “I have to thank my coach Claudia Mancinelli who has helped me grow a lot this year,” concluded the 20-year-old gymnast from Chiaravalle.