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How Dubai student’s AI judging platform could change rhythmic gymnastics
Fifteen-year-old Viktoria Leusheva, a Year 11 student at Repton Dubai, also has ambitions to transform scoring at even the Olympic level
- PUBLISHED: Sat 18 Jul 2026, 4:36 PM
A Dubai-based teenager has turned a personal disappointment in competitive gymnastics into an AI-powered judging platform used by more than 3,000 athletes worldwide.
Fifteen-year-old Viktoria Leusheva, a Year 11 student at Repton Dubai also has ambitions to one day transform scoring at even the Olympic level.
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The student launched the latest version of her app, Vika, which is an AI-assisted rhythmic gymnastics judging platform designed to provide athletes with detailed feedback, transparent scoring and performance analysis.
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The idea was born from years of competing in gymnastics competitions across different countries and questioning how scores were awarded.
“I trained in rhythmic gymnastics for many years and took part in a lot of children’s competitions in different countries,” she said.
“I often didn’t understand how the scores were given, and there was a lack of clear feedback. My friends had the same questions.”
What troubled her most, however, were occasions when results appeared difficult to explain.
“What motivated me the most was that sometimes there were results that felt unfair, when the strongest gymnast didn’t get a prize place.”
Taking it to a global platform
The turning point came after one particular competition where Viktoria felt she had delivered one of her strongest performances.
“After one of the competitions, I felt really upset,” she recalled.
“Everyone said I performed better than my competitors, and I also felt I did my best, but I only got 4th place.”
The experience sparked a question that would eventually become the foundation of her startup.
“Then I thought: ‘What if there was a way to upload all performances and get an honest answer?’”
Within six months, she had developed a working version of the app.
Since then, Vika has expanded significantly. Viktoria said growth has come in three key areas: a rapidly expanding user base, new analytical features and improved quality of judging feedback.
The platform now includes athlete performance tracking tools and AI-generated recommendations to help gymnasts improve routines. Professional judges using the app also provide detailed explanations for score deductions.
Today, the app serves more than 3,000 users globally.
“For athletes, it’s the only way to get an independent and objective opinion, so I receive a lot of positive feedback,” she said.
“Judges who work with the app say that it is already very intuitive and user-friendly.”
How the app works
The judging process begins when a gymnast uploads a performance video. A qualified judge then reviews the routine, marking individual elements, assigning scores and explaining deductions.
Although a performance may last only around 90 seconds, Viktoria explained that the evaluation process can take more than 30 minutes.
Athletes then receive a detailed breakdown of their scores, accompanied by video analysis, infographics and recommendations for improvement.
Her desire to make judging more transparent was reinforced while watching elite competitions.
“I was watching Olympic performances and, even with my experience, I couldn’t understand why the scores were distributed that way,” she said.
“The rules are very clear, but judging can sometimes feel subjective.”
Living and studying in Dubai has also played a role in helping her pursue the project. Viktoria said building trust among clubs and coaches was one of the biggest early challenges, as some were initially cautious about independent evaluation systems.
“I’m really glad that I study and develop the app in Dubai, because there is a high level of trust in society here and people value honesty,” she said.
The young innovator recently launched the Vika DubAI Open 2026, an international online competition that allows gymnasts not only to receive scores and medals but also earn official sports grades that can be recorded as part of their sporting achievements.
Looking ahead, Viktoria is aiming even higher. She is exploring future AI capabilities with the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) and hopes to create a fully automated judging system.
“My dream is to create a fully AI-based judging system,” she said.
“This would allow instant scoring and could be used at competitions of any level, even the Olympics.”
She added that her school is supporting her efforts by helping turn the project into her final-year academic work and assisting in building a team of student innovators.
For Viktoria, the ultimate goal extends beyond technology.
“I believe that with this app, no talent will go unnoticed,” she said, “and no deserving champion will ever feel overlooked again.”
