Rhythmic gymnastics is a sport in which gymnasts perform 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. 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.
The International Gymnastics Federation is the body governing competition in all disciplines of 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.
Gymnastics World Championships refers to a number of different world championships for each of the disciplines in competitive gymnastics. The International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) organizes World Championships for six disciplines: acrobatic gymnastics, aerobic gymnastics, artistic gymnastics, parkour, rhythmic gymnastics, as well as trampoline and tumbling. The International Federation of Aesthetic Group Gymnastics (IFAGG) organizes World Championships for the sport of aesthetic group gymnastics.
The Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships are the world championships for the sport of rhythmic gymnastics. The tournament is promoted and organized by the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique (FIG). It is one of the three tournaments in rhythmic gymnastics officially organized by FIG, as well as the Rhythmic Gymnastics World Cup and the gymnastics competitions at the Olympic Games. The first edition of the World Championships was held in 1963, a time when the sport was known as modern gymnastics. The current program of the World Championships contemplates both individual and group performances. In even non-Olympic years and the year before the Olympics, a team event is also contested. Two events are not competed at the World Championships anymore: individual rope and free hands.
The Rhythmic Gymnastics World Cup is a competition for rhythmic gymnastics sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique (FIG). It is one of the few tournaments in rhythmic gymnastics officially organized by FIG, as well as the World Championships, the gymnastics competitions at the Olympic Games and the Youth Olympics, and the rhythmic gymnastics events at the World Games. The World Cup series should not be confused with the Rhythmic Gymnastics Grand Prix series, which is neither officially organized nor promoted by FIG.
Aesthetic group gymnastics (AGG) is a discipline of gymnastics developed from Finnish "Women's Gymnastics" (naisvoimistelu). The discipline is reminiscent of rhythmic gymnastics, with some significant differences: in AGG, the emphasis is on big and continuous body movement, and the teams are larger. AGG teams often consist of 6–10 gymnasts, and some children’s teams are bigger. Furthermore, apparatus is not used in international AGG competitions as it is in rhythmic gymnastics where balls, ribbons, hoops and clubs are used on the floor area. The sport requires physical qualities such as flexibility, balance, speed, strength, coordination and sense of rhythm where movements of the body are emphasized in the flow and, expressive and aesthetic appeal. A good performance is characterized by uniformity and simultaneity. The competition program consists of versatile and varied body movements, such as body waves and swings, balances and pivots, jumps and leaps, dance steps, and lifts.
These are four lists of achievements in major international gymnastics events according to first-place, second-place and third-place results obtained by gymnasts representing different nations. The objective is not to create combined medal tables; the focus is on listing the best positions achieved by gymnasts in major international competitions, ranking the nations according to the most number of podiums accomplished by gymnasts of these nations. All seven competitive disciplines currently recognized by the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) are covered: 1) acrobatic gymnastics, 2) aerobic gymnastics, 3) men's artistic gymnastics, 4) women's artistic gymnastics, 5) women's rhythmic gymnastics, 6) trampoline and tumbling, and 7) parkour.
The Longines Prize for Elegance is an award given by Longines to a male and female currently at the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships and the World Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships. The winners receive a trophy, a cheque, and a Longines watch. The prize has been awarded since 1997 and is aimed at honoring the most elegant and charismatic gymnasts. The criteria used by the jury is based on grace, harmonious movement, and emotion during the performances.
FIG World Cup refers to a number of events organized by the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) across seven competitive gymnastics disciplines: 1) acrobatic gymnastics, 2) aerobic gymnastics, 3) men's artistic gymnastics, 4) women's artistic gymnastics, 5) women's rhythmic gymnastics, 6) trampoline and tumbling, and 7) parkour.
The Pan American Gymnastics Union organizes Pan American Gymnastics Championships in different disciplines of gymnastics: men's and women's artistic gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics, acrobatic gymnastics, trampoline and tumbling, as well as aerobic gymnastics. The Pan American Gymnastics Championships are considered by the International Gymnastics Federation to be the official continental championships for the Americas. Pan American Championships have also been organized for the sport of aesthetic group gymnastics.
The 1983 FIG Rhythmic Gymnastics World Cup was the first edition of the Rhythmic Gymnastics World Cup, held from April 15 to April 17 in Belgrade, Yugoslavia. The competition was officially organized by the International Gymnastics Federation and followed the steps of the Artistic Gymnastics World Cup, first held in 1975.
The 1986 FIG Rhythmic Gymnastics World Cup was the second Rhythmic Gymnastics World Cup, held from October 17 to 19 in Tokyo, Japan. The competition was officially organized by the International Gymnastics Federation.
The 2004 FIG Rhythmic Gymnastics World Cup Final was the sixth edition of the Rhythmic Gymnastics World Cup Final, held from November 27 to November 28, 2004 in Moscow, Russia. The competition was officially organized by the International Gymnastics Federation as the last stage of a series of competitions through the 2003–2004 season.
The 2006 FIG Rhythmic Gymnastics World Cup Final was the seventh edition of the Rhythmic Gymnastics World Cup Final, held from November 17 to November 18, 2006 in Mie, Japan. The competition was officially organized by the International Gymnastics Federation as the last stage of a series of competitions through the 2005–2006 season.
The 2008 FIG Rhythmic Gymnastics World Cup Final was the eighth edition of the Rhythmic Gymnastics World Cup Final, held from October 4 to October 6, 2008 in Benidorm, Spain. The competition was officially organized by the International Gymnastics Federation as the last stage of a series of competitions through the 2007–2008 season.
The Aesthetic Group Gymnastics World Championships are the world championships for the sport of aesthetic group gymnastics. Aesthetic Group Gymnastics is a discipline not currently recognized by the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique. World Championships are organized annually since 2000 by the International Federation of Aesthetic Group Gymnastics (IFAGG).
The Aesthetic Group Gymnastics World Cup is a competition for aesthetic group gymnastics sanctioned by the International Federation of Aesthetic Group Gymnastics (IFAGG). It is one of the few tournaments in aesthetic group gymnastics officially organized by IFAGG, as well as the World Championships and the European Championships. There are two types, which are organised at the same time – World Cup is for senior teams and Challenge Cup is for junior teams.
The 2021 Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships were held from 27 to 31 October 2021 in Kitakyushu, Japan.
Chisaki Oiwa is a Japanese rhythmic gymnast. She represented Japan at the 2020 Summer Olympics and finished nineteenth in the qualification round for the individual all-around. She is a three-time World Championships all-around finalist.
Toronto 
Rio de Janeiro 
Auckland 
Indianapolis 
Melbourne 
Tokyo 
Beijing 
Seoul 
Cairo 
Toronto 
Sue Soffe 
Rio de Janeiro 
Michio Ota 
Auckland 
Xia Yanfei 
Melbourne 
Li Gyong-hui 
Seoul 
Cairo 
Anahí Sosa 
