d
Yoan Ivanov, coach Anthony Wise, David Ivanov, and Max Whitlock
This season’s world challenge cup series begins tomorrow in Varna, Bulgaria, and while this series doesn’t involve any world championships qualification the way the world cup does, we’ll still see many top athletes on the roster, especially as the season gets closer to the end.
Bulgaria will have an especially stacked field at home, including pommel horse standout David Ivanov. It’ll also be exciting to see world cup pommel horse and rings champions Zeinolla Idrissov of Kazakhstan and Artur Avetisyan of Armenia in the mix here, while Great Britain’s Max Whitlock makes his return to international competition for the first time since the Paris Olympics.
On the WAG side, I’m mostly looking forward to seeing Jennifer Williams of Sweden back on the elite scene following her first NCAA season at Cal, Croatia has a standout field that includes well-known specialists on each apparatus, and I always love when we’re treated to Rachel Yeoh Li Wen of Malaysia on bars and Floor Slooff of the Netherlands on floor.
The competition will begin with qualifications held from May 7–8, while finals will be held over the weekend from May 9–10. A full list of athletes expected to compete is below.
| ARMENIA | |
| Artur Avetisyan | |
| AUSTRIA | |
| Vincent Lindpointner Martin Miggitsch Paul Schmölzer Alfred Schwaiger Gino Vetter |
Katrin Palicka Aurea Wutschka |
| AZERBAIJAN | |
| Khadija Abbaszada Daniz Aliyeva Nazanin Teymurova |
|
| BELGIUM | |
| Kyano Schepers Senne Spyckerelle Victor Tournicourt |
|
| BULGARIA | |
| Yordan Atleksandrov Dimitar Dimitrov Michael Dunev Stoyan Getov Alex Ivanov David Ivanov Rayan Radkov Yoan Ivanov Lyubomir Stanoev Daniel Trifonov |
Mishel Arabadzhieva Tsvetomira Nacheva Nikol Sokolova Nikol Stoimenova Viktoria Ventsislavova |
| CANADA | |
| Coralie Demers Amy Jorgensen |
|
| CROATIA | |
| Marko Sambolec Mateo Zugec |
Tijana Korent Antea Sikic Kaucic Sara Sulekic Tina Zelcic |
| CZECHIA | |
| Beata Merinska Eva Pangracova |
|
| GERMANY | |
| Anton Bulka Timo Eder Artur Sahakyan |
|
| GREAT BRITAIN | |
| Cameron Lynn Reuben Ward Max Whitlock |
Shantae-Eve Amankwaah Grace Davies |
| GUATEMALA | |
| Jaycko Bourdet Jorge Vega Lopez |
|
| HUNGARY | |
| Balazs Kiss Botond Molnar Zala Samu Zambori Szilard Zavory |
Sara Peter Nikolett Szilagyi |
| ISRAEL | |
| Erez Hacohen Ilia Liubimov Ron Ortal Ron Pyatov |
Roni Shamay Yali Shoshani |
| KAZAKHSTAN | |
| Nurtan Idrissov Zeinolla Idrissov Roman Khegay Assan Salimov |
|
| LIECHTENSTEIN | |
| Julia Weissenhofer | |
| MALAYSIA | |
| Muhammad Sharul Aimy Ng Chun Chen Wilson Yeoh Wei Sin |
Cadence Teh Zi Qi Yeap Kang Xian Rachel Yeoh Li Wen |
| MONGOLIA | |
| Enkhtuvshin Damdindorj Usukhbayar Erkhembayar |
|
| NETHERLANDS | |
| Loran de Munck Elijah Faverus Jordi Hagenaar |
Casey-Jane Meuleman Mara Slippens Floor Slooff |
| NORWAY | |
| Amalie Dalene Serina Kvaestad |
|
| POLAND | |
| Maria Drobniak Marta Pihan-Kulesza |
|
| ROMANIA | |
| Miruna Botez Adelina Ionescu Bianca Visovan |
|
| SERBIA | |
| Petar Vefic | Tara Drakulic Natalia Jacoby Nina Sabic |
| SLOVAKIA | |
| Laura Belicova Miriam Keresztesova |
|
| SWEDEN | |
| Elina Grawin Nathalie Westlund Jennifer Williams |
|
| TÜRKIYE | |
| Altan Dogan Metehan Kartin Cagri Yilmaz |
Naz Aktürk Ceren Biner Ilayda Sahin |
| UKRAINE | |
| Ihor Dyshuk Mykyta Melnykov Sviatoslav Shved Bohdan Suprun |
Marianna Kiniuk Anastasiia Lev Diana Lobok |
| UZBEKISTAN | |
| Ravshan Kamiljanov Akhrorkhon Temirkhonov |
|
Article by Lauren Hopkins
The Gymternet 