Angelina Melnikova leads in the individual all-around at the 2026 European Championships in Zagreb
- Melnikova is the Olympic champion of 2020 and a two-time world all-around champion.
- After the first three apparatuses, she is in the lead with 55.932 points.
- The Russian team performed at the 2026 European Championship for the first time in eight years.
- The gymnast aims to execute the routines without errors.
The European Championship in artistic gymnastics 2026 took place in the capital of Croatia – Zagreb. The competition gathered the best athletes from the continent, among whom stood out the Russian star – Angelina Melnikova, already known for her achievements on the international stage.
Melnikova is the winner of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, as well as a two-time world all-around champion, where she demonstrated the highest level of technique and artistic performance. Her name has long been associated with stability and high skill, making her one of the main contenders for medals in each individual event.
Pride and focus
After completing the first part of the all-around, the athlete gave an interview in the mixed zone. "I am very pleased with myself, I am proud of myself," Melnikova emphasized. Despite the positive emotions, the gymnast immediately switched to the next process: "I will be focused on achieving high results until the very end of the competition," she added.
Melnikova placed special importance on the fact that the Russian team participated in the European Championship for the first time in eight years. After a long break due to geopolitical circumstances, the athletes are eager to prove that their level remains high.
According to the gymnast, her main goal is to perform the routines without mistakes. "Just to perform my routines without mistakes," she emphasized, noting that in such conditions even small inaccuracies can cost valuable points.
After the results of the first three out of five apparatuses, Melnikova took an interim first place, scoring 55.932 points. This score puts her in a leading position and creates favorable conditions for further success in the final stage.
Currently, gymnasts from Italy, Great Britain, and Romania are also actively competing, having already shown strong performances. Nevertheless, Melnikova's current result indicates her readiness to maintain her lead and fight for the gold medal.
For Russian gymnastics, this result has symbolic significance: it confirms that despite years of absence from the European arena, athletes are capable of returning with competitive results. Melnikova's success may serve as an impetus for further development of the program and preparation of new talents.
Source: Championat
