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. 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.
Laura Yihan Zeng is an American former individual rhythmic gymnast. She represented the United States at the 2016 and 2020 Summer Olympics. She swept all of the events at the 2015 Pan American Games and at the 2018 Pan American Championships. She is the 2014 Youth Olympic and 2019 Summer Universiade all-around bronze medalist and the 2019 Grand Prix Final hoop bronze medalist. She is an eight-time national all-around champion, six times at the senior level and twice at the junior level (2013–14).
Linoy Ashram is a retired Israeli individual rhythmic gymnast. She is the 2020 Olympic All-around Champion, the 2018 World All-around silver medalist, two-time World All-around bronze medalist, the 2020 European All-around champion, and the 2019 European Games All-around silver medalist. She is the third Israeli athlete and first Israeli woman to win an Olympic gold medal in any sport, and the first Israeli rhythmic gymnast to win an Olympic medal. She became the first rhythmic gymnast from outside a post-Soviet republic to win a gold medal at an Olympics where former Soviet states participated.
The 2014 Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships, the 33rd edition, was held in İzmir, Turkey, from September 21 to 28, 2014 at the İzmir Halkapınar Sport Hall.
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.
The 2015 Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships, the 34th edition, was held in Stuttgart, Germany, from September 7 to 13, 2015 at the Porsche Arena. It acted as a qualifying competition for the 2016 Summer Olympics.
Rut Castillo Galindo is a Mexican individual rhythmic gymnast. She represented Mexico at the 2020 Summer Olympics and became the first Mexican rhythmic gymnast to compete at an Olympic Games. She is the 2021 Pan American all-around champion. At the 2007 Pan American Games, she won the silver medal in hoop and the bronze medals in the all-around and clubs. She is an eight-time Central American and Caribbean Games champion. She has also competed at nine World Championships.
Tsvetelina Yordanova Stoyanova is a Bulgarian group rhythmic gymnast. She is the 2008 European Junior bronze medalist in rope. She won the gold medal in the Group-all around the 2014 World Championships.
Alejandra Quereda Flores is a former Spanish group rhythmic gymnast.
Artemi Gavezou Castro is a former group rhythmic gymnast, who also represented Spain.
Elena López Benaches is a Spanish group rhythmic gymnast.
Lourdes Mohedano Sanchez de Mora is a Spanish group rhythmic gymnast.
Sandra Aguilar Navarro is a Spanish group rhythmic gymnast.
Anjelika Reznik is a Canadian former group rhythmic gymnast and individual athlete. She represents her nation at international competitions. Reznik made history by qualifying Canada as the 1st group ever when she participated at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.
Kiana Eide is an American group rhythmic gymnast. She represented the United States at the 2015 World Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships. As part of the American group rhythmic gymnastics team, she won a gold and two silver medals at the 2015 Pan American Games and competed at the 2016 Summer Olympics.
Alisa Kano is an American group rhythmic gymnast. She represented the United States at the 2015 World Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships. As a member of the American group rhythmic gymnastics team, she won a gold and two silver medals at the 2015 Pan American Games and competed at the 2016 Summer Olympics. Kano graduated from Loyola University Chicago in 2019 with a degree in Exercise Science.
Natalie McGiffert is a 2016 Team USA Olympian for group rhythmic gymnast. She also competed at the 2015 World Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships.
Monica Rokhman is an American group rhythmic gymnast.
Arina Alexandrovna Tsitsilina is a Russian-born group rhythmic gymnast representing Belarus. She is a five-time World bronze medalist and the 2016 European champion in 5 ribbons. She also is the 2016 European group all-around silver medalist and the 2021 European team silver medalist. She represented Belarus at the 2016 and the 2020 Summer Olympics finishing fifth in the group all-around both times. She is the 2015 European Games 6 Clubs + 2 Hoops champion and the 2019 European Games group all-around and 3 hoops + 4 clubs champion.
Evita Griskenas is an American individual rhythmic gymnast. She is representing the United States at the 2024 Summer Olympics. She previously represented the United States at the 2020 Summer Olympics, finishing 12th in the qualification round for the individual all-around. At the 2023 Portimao World Challenge Cup, she became the first American to win an all-around silver medal on the Rhythmic Gymnastics World Cup series. She is the 2022 USA national all-around champion, a four-time national all-around silver medalist, and the 2015 junior national all-around champion.
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