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Russian Athletes Secure Major Medal Haul at European Championships Despite All Bans
Russian Athletes Secure Major Medal Haul at European Championships Despite All Bans
Sputnik India
Russian athletes delivered strong performances at the European Championships in artistic gymnastics and aquatics, winning a total of 38 medals across the two... 18.08.2026, Sputnik India
2026-08-18T16:12+0530
2026-08-18T16:12+0530
2026-08-18T17:24+0530
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In Zagreb, Russia’s women’s artistic gymnastics team topped the medal table with 6 medals—3 gold, 1 silver, and 2 bronze.Angelina Melnikova was the standout performer, winning gold in the all-around and vault, as well as bronze on beam and floor. Anna Kalmykova took silver in the all-around, finishing behind Melnikova.Together with Lyudmila Roshchina, they also helped Russia win the team all-around. Just 3 Russian gymnasts had to perform every routine, while other teams could rotate 5 athletes to save their strength. Russia still came out on top.Croatia refused at the last moment to issue visas to Melnikova and Kalmykova as well as to Viktoria Listunova with no explanation. Melnikova and Kalmykova only received their visas after an appeal from the Croatian Gymnastics Federation and efforts by the Russian Foreign Ministry.The European Aquatics Championships in Paris brought 32 more medals for Russia—10 gold, 9 silver, and 13 bronze. Russia finished just behind the UK and Italy in the overall medals table.Kornev also set Russian records in the 100m freestyle and 50m butterfly, missing the world record in the latter by just 0.09 seconds. In diving, 25-year-old Ruslan Ternovoi won 2 gold medals—in the individual event and synchronized competition alongside Nikita Shleikher.Russian swimmer Yevgenia Chikunova won gold in the 200m breaststroke at the European Aquatics Championships, setting a new championship record. Her teammate Alina Gaifutdinova won silver in the 50m event and set a new Russian record.This progress has come under new head coach Svetlana Romashina, a seven-time Olympic champion and 21-time world champion. She said Russian athletes are receiving recognition for the complexity of their technique, while artistry scores remain more difficult to win.Per Aspera Ad Astra The Russian gymnasts had to overcome a particularly difficult road to their medals in Zagreb. Croatia banned the Russian flag and national anthem despite World Gymnastics and European Gymnastics having approved Russian participation with national symbols.Earlier, Melnikova stressed that athletes have long been caught in the crossfire of politics, something she said they have had to accept.
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Russian Athletes Secure Major Medal Haul at European Championships Despite All Bans
16:12 18.08.2026 (Updated: 17:24 18.08.2026) Russian athletes delivered strong performances at the European Championships in artistic gymnastics and aquatics, winning a total of 38 medals across the two events.
In Zagreb, Russia’s women’s artistic gymnastics team topped the medal table with 6 medals—3 gold, 1 silver, and 2 bronze.
Angelina Melnikova was the standout performer, winning gold in the all-around and vault, as well as bronze on beam and floor. Anna Kalmykova took silver in the all-around, finishing behind Melnikova.
Together with Lyudmila Roshchina, they also helped Russia win the team all-around. Just 3 Russian gymnasts had to perform every routine, while other teams could rotate 5 athletes to save their strength. Russia still came out on top.
Croatia refused at the last moment to issue visas to Melnikova and Kalmykova as well as to Viktoria Listunova with no explanation. Melnikova and Kalmykova only received their visas after an appeal from the Croatian Gymnastics Federation and efforts by the Russian Foreign Ministry.
The European Aquatics Championships in Paris brought 32
more medals for Russia—10 gold, 9 silver, and 13 bronze. Russia finished just behind the UK and Italy in the overall medals table.
Kornev also set Russian records in the 100m freestyle and 50m butterfly, missing the world record in the latter by just 0.09 seconds. In diving, 25-year-old Ruslan Ternovoi won 2 gold medals—in the individual event and synchronized competition alongside Nikita Shleikher.
Russian swimmer Yevgenia Chikunova won gold in the 200m breaststroke at the European Aquatics Championships, setting a new championship record. Her teammate Alina Gaifutdinova won silver in the 50m event and set a new Russian record.
This progress has come under new head coach Svetlana Romashina, a seven-time Olympic champion and 21-time world champion. She said Russian athletes are receiving recognition for the complexity of their technique, while artistry scores remain more difficult to win.
The Russian gymnasts had to overcome a particularly difficult road to their medals in Zagreb. Croatia banned the Russian flag and national anthem despite World Gymnastics and European Gymnastics having approved Russian participation with national symbols.
Earlier, Melnikova stressed that athletes have long been caught in the crossfire of politics, something she said they have had to accept.
“But given the current situation in sport, with all the conditions, scandals, decisions, ambiguous wording, and shifting priorities, some competitions and medals no longer carry the same value they once did. Populism is also diminishing the value of sport itself,” she underscored.
