The 32nd European Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships were held at the Holon Toto Hall in Holon, Israel, from 17 to 19 June 2016. Two months before the Rio Olympics, the meet was the last major test for most of the gymnasts who would compete in Brazil.
Seniors: an Olympic dress rehearsal
In an Olympic year the senior programme centres on the all-around, and the individual title went to Yana Kudryavtseva of Russia. Her duel with team-mate Margarita Mamun was the storyline of the whole season and continued all the way to Rio.
The group competition was more open than the individual one. Russia won the group all-around, Belarus took the 5 ribbons final, and Israel won 6 clubs + 2 hoops. That last title, won in front of a home crowd, ended the championships with the Israeli anthem.
The junior programme
The juniors competed in a team event and four apparatus finals. Russia won the junior team title, and Russian juniors also took all four apparatus golds: Alina Ermolova on rope, Maria Sergeeva on hoop and Polina Shmatko on both ball and clubs.
Why Holon 2016 still matters
– Israel’s rhythmic programme kept rising after Holon and won Olympic individual gold with Linoy Ashram in Tokyo (2021). – The group finals showed how open the group event had become: three apparatus titles went to three different nations. – It confirmed the Kudryavtseva–Mamun rivalry that decided the Olympic final.
Related
Our Rhythmic Gymnastics page explains apparatus and group routines, and the 2017 Europeans in Budapest opened the next Olympic cycle.
