Rhythmic gymnastics is a sport in which gymnasts perform on a floor with an apparatus: hoop, ball, clubs, ribbon or rope. The sport combines elements of gymnastics, dance and calisthenics; gymnasts must be strong, flexible, agile, dexterous and coordinated. Rhythmic gymnastics is governed by the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG), which first recognized it as a sport in 1963. It became an Olympic sport in 1984, with an individual all-around event. The group all-around competition was added to the Olympics in 1996. At the international level, rhythmic gymnastics is a women-only sport. The most prestigious competitions, besides the Olympic Games, are the World Championships, World Games, European Championships, European Games, the World Cup Series and the Grand Prix Series. Gymnasts are judged on their artistry, execution of skills, and difficulty of skills, for which they gain points. They perform leaps, balances, and rotations along with handling the apparatus.
At the 2000 Summer Olympics, three different gymnastics disciplines were contested: artistic gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics, and trampoline. The artistic gymnastics and trampoline events were held at the Sydney SuperDome on 16–25 September and 22–23 September, respectively. The rhythmic gymnastics events were held at Pavilion 3 of the Sydney Olympic Park on 28 September – 1 October.
The International Gymnastics Federation is the body governing all disciplines of competitive gymnastics. Its headquarters is in Lausanne, Switzerland. It was founded on July 23, 1881, in Liège, Belgium, making it the world's oldest existing international sports organisation. Originally called the European Federation of Gymnastics, it had three member countries—Belgium, France and the Netherlands—until 1921, when non-European countries were admitted and it received its current name.
Kate Richardson is a former artistic gymnast who represented Canada at the 2000 and 2004 Summer Olympics. From 2002–2006, she also competed for the UCLA Bruins.
Irina Viktorovna Tchachina is a retired Russian individual rhythmic gymnast. She is the 2004 Olympic silver medalist in all-around, a two-time World all-around bronze medalist, the 2004 European all-around bronze medalist and 2000 Grand Prix Final all-around silver medalist.
Olena Ihorivna Vitrychenko, also known as Elena Vitrichenko, is an Individual Ukrainian Rhythmic Gymnast. She is the 1996 Olympics bronze medalist, the 1997 World All-around champion and 1997 European All-around champion.
Gymnastics events have been contested at every Summer Olympic Games since the birth of the modern Olympic movement at the 1896 Summer Olympics in Athens. For 32 years, only men were allowed to compete. Beginning at the 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam, women were allowed to compete in artistic gymnastics events as well. Rhythmic gymnastics events were introduced at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, and trampoline events were added at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney.
Yulia Vladimirovna Barsukova is a Russian retired individual rhythmic gymnast. She is the 2000 Olympic champion in the All-Around, the 2000 Grand Prix Final All-around champion, the 1999 World All-around bronze medalist, 2000 European All-around bronze medalist and 1999 Grand Prix Final All-around bronze medalist.
Yulia Raskina is a Belarusian former rhythmic gymnast and trainer. She is the 2000 Olympics silver medalist, the 1999 World All-around silver medalist, the two time (2000,1999) European All-around silver medalist and 1999 Grand Prix Final All-around champion.
Eva Serrano was an individual rhythmic gymnast. She was the 1999 European All-around bronze medalist and is France's most decorated and successful rhythmic gymnast. She is also a 6-time French National All-around champion.
Iliana Raycheva Raeva-Sirakova is a Bulgarian gymnast who competed in modern rhythmic gymnastics for her country from 1978 to 1982. She was one of the Golden Girls of Bulgaria that dominated Rhythmic Gymnastics in 1980s.
Yanina "Yana" Farkhadovna Batyrshina is a former individual rhythmic gymnast who competed for Russia. She is the 1996 Olympics All-around silver medalist, two time (1995,1997) World All-around bronze medalist, two-time European All-around silver medalist, the 1998 European All-around bronze medalist and 1996 Grand Prix Final All-around champion.
Lorena Guréndez García is a Spanish rhythmic gymnast and Olympic Champion. She competed at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, and won a gold medal with the Spanish group. The team was formed by Lorena, Estela Giménez, Marta Baldó, Nuria Cabanillas, Estíbaliz Martínez and Tania Lamarca. Also, she was twice world champion: one in 3 balls/2 ribbons and other in 3 ribbons/2 hoops.
Yvonne Tousek-Renne is a retired artistic gymnast who competed for her native Canada in the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta and the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney.
Zhaneta Tosheva Ilieva is a retired Bulgarian rhythmic gymnast. She is a two-time member of the Bulgarian rhythmic gymnastics team at the World Championships, and contributed to a silver medal in the group all-around in 2003. The following year, at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Ilieva helped her squad claim a bronze medal in the same program before her official retirement from the sport.
Eleоnora Valerieva Kezhova is a retired Bulgarian rhythmic gymnast. She is a two-time member of the Bulgarian rhythmic gymnastics team at the World Championships, and contributed to a silver medal in the group all-around in 2003. The following year, at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Kezhova helped her squad claim a bronze medal in the same program.
Kristina Rangelova-Yankova is a Bulgarian rhythmic gymnast. Olympic medalist 2004 Athens, World Champion 2005 Baku and Europe Champion 2003 Riesa. She has a Master Degree in Sports Management and Bachelor's Degree in Rhythmic Gymnastics.
Yukari Murata is a Japanese individual rhythmic gymnast.
Evmorfia Dona is a retired Greek individual and group rhythmic gymnast. She represents her nation at international competitions.
Or Tokayev, also known as Svetlana Tokayev, Svetlana Or Tokaev, and Or Tokaev, (Hebrew: אור טוקייב; Russian: Светлана Токаев; born November 9, 1979) is an Israeli former Olympic rhythmic gymnast.
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