On August 15, 2026, sixteen-year-old French gymnast Elena Colas captured the European balance beam title at Arena Zagreb during her debut senior season, solidifying her status as a breakout star of international gymnastics.
A Historic Breakthrough in Zagreb
Elena Colas arrived at the 2026 European Championships carrying the weight of high expectations after clinching the French national title in June. Competing at Arena Zagreb, she made an immediate statement by capturing a bronze medal in the individual all-around competition. Just days later, she cemented her continental dominance on the balance beam. According to coverage from Eurosport, Colas scored 13,833 points to take the gold medal.
With this victory, Colas achieved a rare milestone for French gymnastics. She became the first French gymnast to claim a continental title since Coline Devillard won gold on the vault in Rimini in 2024. Furthermore, she stands as only the second French woman in history to win a European balance beam title, following Mélanie De Jesus Dos Santos’s triumph in Basel in 2021.
Swapping Gold for Silver in a Thrilling Floor Final
The triumph on the beam was swiftly followed by another fierce battle on the floor exercise. Colas came within a whisker of securing a golden double in Zagreb, delivering a brilliant routine that earned her 13,633 points. However, reigning European champion Manila Esposito narrowly bested her, claiming the top step of the podium with a score of 13,700.
Angelina Melnikova rounded out the podium with the bronze medal. Despite missing out on the top spot by the slimmest of margins, Colas demonstrated the composure and consistency of a seasoned veteran despite her tender age. Fellow French gymnast Maïana Prat also featured in the floor final, securing a respectable sixth-place finish, while Morgane Osyssek-Reimer represented France in the beam final alongside Colas, finishing eighth.
Looking Ahead to the Team Final and Los Angeles 2028
The conclusion of the individual apparatus finals does not mark the end of the campaign for the French delegation. Colas is slated to rejoin her teammates for the women’s team final, bringing down the curtain on a grueling and immensely successful week of competition in Croatia.
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As the international gymnastics community looks past the current European calendar, the horizon points directly toward the 2028 Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Performances of this caliber establish Colas not merely as a regional contender, but as a central pillar of France’s long-term strategy on the global stage. Balancing elite difficulty with artistic execution, the teenager from Avoine-Beaumont has signaled that a new era of French gymnastics has officially arrived.
