Rhythmic gymnastics is a sport in which gymnasts perform individually or in groups on a floor with an apparatus: hoop, ball, clubs, ribbon and 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. At the international level, rhythmic gymnastics is a women-only sport.
At the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece, three disciplines of gymnastics were contested: artistic gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics and trampoline. The artistic gymnastics and trampoline events were held at the Olympic Indoor Hall and the rhythmic gymnastics events were held at the Galatsi Olympic Hall.
Yordan Yovchev Yovchev, also spelled Jordan Jovtchev, is a retired Bulgarian gymnast. He took part in six consecutive Olympic Games, more than any other Bulgarian athlete in Olympic history. He is president of the Bulgarian Gymnastics Federation and also serves as a sports commentator.
Neshka Stefanova Robeva is a Bulgarian former rhythmic gymnast and coach.
At the 1984 Summer Olympics, two different gymnastics disciplines were contested. In addition to the fourteen artistic gymnastics events contested, for the first time at the Olympics, a rhythmic gymnastics event was contested–the women's individual all-around. All of the gymnastics events were held at UCLA's Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles from July 29 through August 11. Several countries who had qualified to compete were absent as a result of the 1984 Summer Olympics boycott, including the Soviet Union, Bulgaria, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Hungary, and North Korea.
Anelia Ralenkova became one of Bulgaria's most distinctive rhythmic gymnasts. She is one of the "Golden Girls" of Bulgaria that dominated rhythmic gymnastics in the 1980s.
Epke Jan Zonderland is a Dutch artistic gymnast and the 2012 Olympic gold medallist on high bar. He is a 4-time Olympian (2008–20) and has also taken 3 World Championships golds on high bar at the 2013, 2014 and 2018 World Championships, the first man to secure this feat on that apparatus. He is nicknamed "The Flying Dutchman.”
Bulgaria has established traditions in a great variety of sports.
Diliana Georgieva is a Bulgarian retired rhythmic gymnast. She was one of the Golden Girls of Bulgaria that dominated Rhythmic Gymnastics in the 1980s.
Adriana Dunavska is a Bulgarian individual rhythmic gymnast. She is the 1988 Olympic All-around silver medallist, 1987 World All-around silver medallist, 1989 World All-around bronze medallist and the 1988 European All-around champion. She also won a gold medal at the 1987 World Championships with the rope. Her twin sister, Kamelia Dunavska was also a competitive rhythmic gymnast.
Oleg Yuriyovych Verniaiev is a Ukrainian artistic gymnast. He is the 2016 Olympic parallel bars champion and individual all-around silver medalist. Verniaiev is also the 2014 World parallel bars champion, the 2015 European individual all-around champion and the 2017 European individual all-around champion.
Reneta Petrova Kamberova is a Bulgarian Group rhythmic gymnast. She was part of the Bulgarian group that won bronze in group all-around at the 2016 Summer Olympics. She also won all-around gold at the 2014 World Championships in Group, as well as silver all-around at the 2015 World Championships and all-around bronze at the 2011 World Championships.
Mihaela Maevska is a Bulgarian Group rhythmic gymnast. She was part of the Bulgarian group that won bronze in group all-around at the 2016 Summer Olympics. She also won all-around gold at the 2014 World Championships in Group, as well as silver all-around at the 2015 World Championships and all-around bronze at the 2011 World Championships.
Hristiana Todorova is a Bulgarian politician and former group rhythmic gymnast.
Boryana Nikolaeva Kaleyn is a Bulgarian retired individual rhythmic gymnast. She is the 2024 Paris Olympic all-around silver medalist. She is the 2023 European all-around champion, the 2024 European champion with hoop, the 2021 and 2022 European all-around silver medalist, and the 2022 European champion with ball, ribbon, and in the team competition. Kaleyn is also the 2023 World Team all-around champion and the 2022 World Cup Series all-around champion in Sofia and runner-up in Baku. She competed at the 2020 Summer Olympics, finishing fifth in the all-around.
Erika Rosenova Zafirova is a Bulgarian rhythmic gymnast. She is the 2020 Olympic group all-around champion. She is the 2019 World group all-around bronze medalist and 5 balls silver medalist. She is the 2021 European 5 balls champion and 3 hoops + 4 clubs silver medalist. She won two silver medals and one bronze medal at the 2019 European Games.
Andrey Keranov is a Bulgarian gymnast. He competed at the 1976 Olympic Games but did not qualify to any event finals. He was the first Bulgarian to win a medal at the World Championships, winning bronze on floor exercise in 1974.
Adem Asil is an Egyptian-born Turkish male artistic gymnast. He represented Turkey at the 2020 and 2024 Olympic Games. He is the 2022 World Champion on still rings and is the 2023 European all-around champion.
Valentina Georgieva is a Bulgarian artistic gymnast. She is the 2024 European silver medalist on vault. She missed nearly two years of competition due to an injury at the 2022 European Championships, but she returned to competition during the 2024 FIG World Cup series. She represented Bulgaria at the 2024 Summer Olympics.
Gymnastics competitions at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris were contested in three categories: artistic gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics and trampolining. The artistic and trampoline events occurred at the Accor Arena, with the rhythmic events staged at Porte de La Chapelle Arena from 8 to 10 August.
