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.
Alina Maratovna Kabaeva is a Russian politician, media manager, retired individual rhythmic gymnast, and Honoured Master of Sports.
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.
Anna Bessonova is a Ukrainian former individual rhythmic gymnast. She is one of the most decorated rhythmic gymnast of her generation. She is a two-time Olympic bronze medalist ; a five-time medalist in the all-around competition of the World Championships: gold in 2007, silver in 2003 and 2005, bronze in 2001 and 2009; a four-time medalist in the all-around competition of the European Championships: silver in 2004 and 2008, bronze in 2002 and 2006; and a four-time medalist in the all-around competition of the Grand Prix Final: gold in 2003, silver in 2002 and 2005, bronze in 2004.
Natalia Oleksandrivna Godunko is a Ukrainian former individual rhythmic gymnast. She is the 2005 European Ribbon champion and the 2004 Grand Prix Final All-around champion.
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.
Oksana Aleksandrovna Chusovitina is an eight-time Olympic gymnast who has competed for the Soviet Union, Uzbekistan, and Germany.
Vera Valeryevna Sessina is a Russian individual rhythmic gymnast. She is the 2007 World All-around silver medalist, the 2006 European All-around Champion, two time Grand Prix Final All-around champion and three time Grand Prix Final All-around silver medalist. She was known for her high releve during her pivot.
Daniele Matias Hypólito is a Brazilian gymnast who competed in the 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games. Hypólito was the first athlete from Brazil to ever win a medal at the World Championships, a silver on floor exercise in 2001. She is also the nine-time senior all-around Brazilian National Champion in artistic gymnastics, 2002 South American Games all-around champion and 2003 Pan American Games all-around bronze medalist. To date Hypólito has won the Brazilian National Championships more than ten times; has represented Brazil at the World Championships thirteen times, competing in every Worlds meet from 1999 to 2015, except in 2009; has taken part in every edition of the Olympic Games from 2000 to 2016; and has competed at five Pan American Games between 1999 and 2015.
Evgeniya Olegovna Kanaeva OMF is a Russian individual rhythmic gymnast. She is the only individual rhythmic gymnast in history to win two Olympic all-around gold medals, winning at the 2008 Summer Olympics, where she finished with 3.75 points ahead of silver medalist Inna Zhukova, and at the 2012 Summer Olympics, where she also became the oldest gymnast to win the Olympic gold. On 4 July 2013, Kanaeva received the International Fair Play Award for "Sport and Life".
Olga Sergeyevna Kapranova is a Russian retired individual rhythmic gymnast. She is the 2005 World All-around champion, the 2007 World All-around bronze medalist, the 2008 European All-around bronze medalist, a two-time Grand Prix Final All-around champion, a two-time Grand Prix Final All-around silver medalist and the 2005 Grand Prix Final All-around bronze medalist.
Amina Vasilovna Zaripova is a retired Russian individual rhythmic gymnast who now works as an elite rhythmic gymnastics coach. She is the 1994 World All-around silver medalist, 1993 World All-around bronze medalist and a two time European All-around bronze medalist. She finished fourth at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta.
Liubov Viktorovna Charkashyna is a retired Belarusian individual rhythmic gymnast. She is the 2012 Olympic all-around bronze medalist, and the 2011 European ball and clubs champion.
Sport plays an important role in Estonian culture. Estonia first competed as a nation at the 1920 Summer Olympics, although the National Olympic Committee was established in 1923. Estonian athletes took part at every Olympic Games until the country was annexed by the Soviet Union in 1940. The 1980 Summer Olympics sailing regatta was held in the capital city Tallinn. Estonia has won most of its Olympic medals in wrestling, athletics, weightlifting, and cross-country skiing.
Daria Vladimirovna Kondakova is a Russian retired individual rhythmic gymnast. She is a three-time World all-around silver medalist, the 2010 European all-around silver medalist and two time Grand Prix Final all-around silver medalist. She was coached by Anna Shumilova. She now works as a rhythmic gymnastics coach and choreographer.
Irina "Ira" Risenzon-Nahmany is a retired Hungarian-born Israeli rhythmic gymnast. She is the 2008 Grand Prix Final all-around bronze medalist.
Aliya Yussupova is a retired individual rhythmic gymnast who competed for Kazakhstan, coached by Irina Viner.
Lyasan Albertovna Utiasheva is a Russian TV show host, socialite, and former individual rhythmic gymnast, she was a two time Grand Prix Final all-around medalist. Utiasheva is now working as a successful businesswoman, founder of the online project «Sila Voli», one of the Ambassadors of the 2018 FIFA World Cup and a mother of two children. She was known for her extreme flexibility, her emphasis in point of landing on high releve in her back split pivots led to a career ending injury.
Zornitsa Marinova is a retired Bulgarian rhythmic gymnast. She represented Bulgaria in two editions of the Olympic Games, and also contributed to a fourth-place effort in the group all-around tournament at the 2007 World Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships in Patras, Greece. At the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Marinova claimed a bronze medal in the same program as a member of the Bulgarian gymnastics squad. During her sporting career, Marinova trained for Iliana Gymnastics Club in Levski under her head coach Adriana Dunavska and her assistant coach Mariela Pashalieva.
Zarina Mayramovna Gizikova is a Russian retired individual rhythmic gymnast, an Honored Master of Sports of Russia and the 2002 Russian National All-around champion.
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