At the Europeans, where the 18-year-old said she was just 40 percent prepared, Varfolmeev still finished third in the all-around and claimed gold with the ribbon.
Since June, she’s wrapped her high school diploma, giving her the opportunity for more balance in her life.
“There wasn’t a whole lot of time to take care of myself or do what I like,” she said earlier this year when juggling school and elite-level training.
Now, with graduation behind her, there’s relief.
“Thank god school is over now. I can focus completely on my sport now,” Varfolmeev told dpa.
That’s allowed her to focus fully on her sport, and she says her recent sweep of the German championships was something of a breakthrough.
“This was my strongest competition yet this season,” Varfolmeev said.
The reigning queen of her sport, she knows there will be sky-high expectations in Rio. Varfolmeev is doing her level best not to focus too much on that, though.
“I can’t say that I will have the same success [as in the past] in Rio, but I will give it my all,” she said. “There is always pressure. You need to deal with it.
“All competitions so far this season have been preparation for Worlds,” Varfolmeev concludes.
This week, Rio has her full attention – and all her energy.