About

   A perfect fusion of athletics and aesthetics, gymnastics ranks among the defining sports of the Olympic Games.

   When rhythmic gymnastics first caught the attention of the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique (FIG) in the middle of the 20th century, its devotees were calling it "modern gymnastics". Yet its hazy history can clearly be traced to at least the last century.

   Competition

   Rhythmic gymnastics (performed with an apparatus) is strictly a women's competition. The gymnasts, accompanied by music, perform on a 13-metre-square floor area with rope, hoop, ball, clubs and ribbon. In the individual event they perform different routines with four of the five apparatus. In the team competition, teams of five perform together once using clubs and once with two using hoops and three using ribbons.

   List of events

   -- group competition Women

   -- individual all-round Women

Credit: IOC

For further info., please visit http://www.olympic.org/uk/sports/programme/disciplines_uk.asp?DiscCode=GR.