Olympic sport since 1896
A perfect fusion of athletics and aesthetics, gymnastics ranks among the defining sports of the Olympic Games.
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Australia's Naazmi Johnston performs her ball routine during the individual apparatus final in rhythmic gymnastics at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne March 26, 2006. [Reuters] |
When rhythmic gymnastics first caught the attention of the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique (FIG) in the middle of the 20th century, its devotees were calling it "modern gymnastics". Yet its hazy history can clearly be traced to at least the last century.
COMPETITION
Rhythmic gymnastics (performed with an apparatus) is strictly a women's competition. The gymnasts, accompanied by music, perform on a 13-metre-square floor area with rope, hoop, ball, clubs and ribbon. In the individual event they perform different routines with four of the five apparatus. In the team competition, teams of five perform together once using clubs and once with two using hoops and three using ribbons.
LIST OF EVENTS
group competition Women individual all-round Women
