Polina Berezina Ksenofontova (born 5 December 1997)[2] is an individual rhythmic gymnast. Born in Russia, she represents Spain internationally. She has competed at seven Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships and won a bronze medal with the Spanish team in 2022. She is a five-time (2017, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2022) Spanish national all-around champion at the senior level. She competed at the 2024 Summer Olympics in women's rhythmic individual all-around and placed 15th, cutoff from the finals.
Berezina received her Spanish citizenship in 2013, enabling her to compete for the Spanish national team in international competitions.[3] She made her international debut at the 2013 Gymnasiade and won a bronze medal in the hoop final.[5]
2015-16
Berezina finished 26th in the all-around at the 2015 Lisbon World Cup.[6] She then finished 25th in the all-around at the Bucharest World Cup and 19th at the Tashkent World Cup.[7][8] At the Budapest World Cup, she dropped one of her clubs during her routine and placed 28th in the all-around.[9] She then finished 29th all-around at the Kazan World Cup.[10] She made her World Championships debut in 2015 and was selected to perform in the ribbon event. On her last throw, her ribbon went out of bounds, so she did not advance to the event final. The Spanish team of Berezina, Natalia García, Sara Llana, and Carolina Rodríguez finished 10th.[11][12]
Berezina began the season at the 2016 Espoo World Cup, finishing 25th in the all-around.[13] Then at the Pesaro World Cup, she finished 40th in the all-around,[14] and she finished 25th at the Kazan World Cup.[15]
2017
Berezina began the season with a 39th-place finish at the Pesaro World Cup.[16] She then finished 23rd at the Tashkent World Cup.[17] At the Portimão World Challenge Cup, she finished 12th in the all-around and qualified for the clubs final where she finished seventh.[18] She competed with the ribbon at the European Championships and helped the Spanish team finish 12th.[19] In June, she won her first Spanish national all-around title.[20] She finished 18th in the all-around at the Minsk World Challenge Cup and 31st at the Kazan World Challenge Cup.[21][22] She finished 34th in the all-around during the qualification round of the World Championships, missing out on the all-around final.[23]
2018
Berezina placed 19th in the all-around at the Sofia World Cup thanks to consistent performances.[24] She then finished 26th at the Pesaro World Cup and 23rd at the Baku World Cup.[25][26] Then at the Guadalajara World Challenge Cup, she finished 16th in the all-around.[27] In June, she competed at the European Championships and qualified for the all-around final, where she finished 20th.[28] Later that month, she successfully defended her Spanish national all-around title.[29] She then competed at the Mediterranean Games and placed fourth in the all-around final.[30] She finished 25th in the all-around at the Minsk World Challenge Cup and then 16th at the Kazan World Challenge Cup.[31][32] At the World Championships, she finished 37th in the all-around during the qualification round,[33] and the Spanish team finished 17th.[34]
2019
Berezina finished 30th in the all-around at the Pesaro World Cup.[35] Then at the Guadalajara World Challenge Cup, she finished 13th in the all-around.[36] She finished 7th with the Spanish team at the European Championships.[37] She then competed at the Minsk World Challenge Cup, finishing 21st in the all-around.[38] At the Portimão World Challenge Cup, she finished 12th in the all-around and qualified for the clubs and ribbon finals, finishing sixth in both.[39] Berezina competed at the World Championships and qualified for her first World all-around final and finished 22nd. Because she did not place in the top 16, Spain did not earn a berth for the 2020 Olympic Games.[40][41]
2020-21
Berezina did not compete in 2020 until the Spanish Championships in December due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[42] There, she won her third national all-around title.[43] She competed at all four events on the 2021 World Cup series to earn points for Olympic qualification.[42] In Sofia, she finished 14th in the all-around.[44] Then in Tashkent, she finished 19th in the all-around and eighth in the clubs final.[45] At the Baku and Pesaro World Cups, she placed 26th in the all-around.[46][47] Only the top three eligible gymnasts earned berths for the Olympic Games, and Berezina did not earn enough points to be in the top three.[48]
Berezina competed at the 2021 European Championships, her final chance to earn an Olympic berth.[42] She finished 15th in the all-around and did not obtain the one available Olympic berth.[49] In July 2021, Berezina won her fourth Spanish all-around title.[50] She then competed at the World Championships and finished 25th in the qualification round.[51]
2022
Berezina finished 13th in the all-around at the Pesaro World Cup and also qualified for the ball final, finishing eighth.[52] In June, she competed at the European Championships and placed 23rd in the all-around final.[53] Later that month, she successfully defended her Spanish national all-around title.[54] At the Portimão World Challenge Cup, she finished 10th in the all-around and fourth in the ball final.[55] Then at the Cluj Napoca World Challenge Cup, she finished 11th in the all-around and eighth in the clubs final.[56] At the World Championships, she was part of the Spanish delegation that won the bronze medal in the team event.[57]
Berezina finished 11th in the all-around at the Portimão World Challenge Cup and seventh in the hoop final.[65] Then at the European Championships, she finished 13th in the all-around final.[66] She then placed 13th in the all-around at the Cluj Napoca World Challenge Cup and eighth in the ball final.[67] In August, Berezina competed at the 2024 Summer Olympics. She ended the qualification round in 15th place and did not advance to the final.[68]
Personal life
Berezina studies audiovisual communication at the Universidad Católica San Antonio de Murcia in Murcia, as of 2024. Her goal is to become a film director.[1] She is fluent in Russian, Spanish, and English.[4] She has one older sister who works in film and music in Moscow.[69]
^"Polina Berezina, en la Copa del Mundo" [Polina Berezina at the World Cup]. Vista Alegre Semanario de Torrevieja (in Spanish). 11 May 2019. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
^Sartori, Matias (8 June 2022). "Polina Berezina, 13ª en la Copa del Mundo de Pesaro" [Polina Berezina, 13th in the Pesaro World Cup]. Gymnastics Federation of the Valencian Community (in Spanish). Retrieved 6 August 2024.
