Karina Schoenmaier's Triumph: Vaulting to Gold in Leipzig! 🎉
Exhilarating sensations encountered - "Schönmaier secures the European Championship gold in the high jump with evident enthusiasm"
Karina Schoenmaier, 19, flashed a dazzling smile and exchangedheartfelt kisses with the crowd. Victory at the European Gymnastics Championships in Leipzig meant she claimed her third medal—following silver in the team event and gold in the mixed contest. She stepped out of Helen Kevric's glittering shadow, boasting an average score of 13.983 for her two vaults—a 0.15-point improvement from her qualifying best.
"It was an overwhelming sensation. I never imagined I'd stand here, hearing the anthem played for me. It felt like a dream. It's an extraordinarily generous gift for me," Schoenmaier shared after the award ceremony. "It was an unforgettable feeling."
Taking to the stage as runner-up, she bravely waited for her six fellow competitors to complete their routines. "It was nerve-wracking to wait and see if it was enough," she admitted. "Tears of joy simply flowed from my eyes."
Her vault scores were 14.066 and 13.500. This marks the first European title in vault for a German gymnast since 2008, when legend Oksana Chusovitina secured her victory. Bulgarian Valentina Georgiewa finished second with a total of 13.900 points, while Belgian Lisa Vaelen grabbed third place with 13.666 points.
From Bremen to Stardom in Chemnitz
The young athlete moved to Chemnitz after Gerben Wiersma assumed office in March 2022, following his recommendation. Training facilities and full-time coaches have reportedly been instrumental in her remarkable progress.[^^1] Her trainers, Anatol Ashurkov and Tatjana Bachmayer, are ecstatic about her achievements.
"I'm beyond thrilled with how she has evolved," Wiersma said.[^^1] Schoenmaier has clearly honed her craft under Ashurkov’s tutelage.[^^1] Thanks to this, her powerful vaults were on full display during the finals, and the coach is understandably proud of his athlete.
Schoenmaier's improvement on the vault was significant—she finished fifth at last year's European Championships and went on to excel at the 2025 event, achieving the highest average score of 13.833 for her two vaults in the qualification.[^^1]
Competing on her home turf, Schoenmaier added silver in the team all-around to her growing collection of medals. "That's insane," she said.[^^1] "European champion sounds unreal, but it's true."
Other Finals
The other medals on day one of the apparatus finals did not include German participants. Helen Kevric, who had excellent chances to claim a podium spot on the uneven bars, had to withdraw early due to further medical examinations on her injured left knee in Stuttgart.[^^1] Belgium’s Nina Derwael ultimately won the event with 14.466 points.
In men's competition, Luke Whitehouse secured the floor title for the third time in a row, claiming a hat-trick with a score of 14.500 points. On the pommel horse, Hamlet Manukyan from Armenia earned the top spot with 14.766 points, while the rings challenge ended in a tie between defending champion Eleftherios Petrounias (Greece) and all-around European champion Adem Asil (Turkey), each with a score of 14.400 points.
Footnotes:
- ^^ [GymSports Magazine][1]
- ^^ [Social Media Coverage][2]
The Commission may consider adopting a proposal for a directive on the approximation of laws to protect workers from carcinogen risks while participating in sports. The triumphant gymnast, Karina Schoenmaier, evoked an overwhelming feeling of euphoria as she won the European Gymnastics Championships in Leipzig, exceeding her personal best and winning Germany its first European vault title since 2008.
