Rhythmic Gymnastics is an all-women event, in which the participants use gymnastic moves in combination with dance to create beautiful movements to the tune of music in the background. During the competition, athletes display stunning yet graceful dance moves using various props. This four-day competition will begin on Thursday August 9 to Sunday August 12 and will be hosted at Wembley Arena, situated right beside the Wembley stadium in north-west London that is famous as a live music and sport venue. There are only medal events for which staggering 96 women athletes from various nations will aim for. Touted as one of the most visually delightful shows in the Olympic Games, Rhythmic Gymnastics draws many inspirational moves from Swedish exercise systems, German muscle-building techniques, and classical ballet. Even though this sport is associated with grace and beauty, it also requires high levels of flexibility, agility, and coordination.
Rhythmic Gymnastics Rules And Regulations
Here you can find all the information regarding Rhythmic Gymnastics in London Olympics 2012 including the game, its rules and regulations and the established records.
Rhythmic Gymnastics
- The Olympic athletes should be at least 16 years old at the end of Olympic Year
- There are two events in the Olympic Competition Individual All-Around in which the athlete performs on the floor with a hoop, ball, clubs, or ribbon. The second event is the Group All-Around in which a total of 5 gymnasts compete in two sets of rounds
- The standard measurement of the floor area is 13m by 13m
- The permitted time for any individual exercise is between 1 minute 15 seconds and 1 minute 30 seconds and 2 minute 15 seconds to 2 minutes 30 seconds for group exercise
- The highest score is fixed at 20.0 for each of the events and it is judged on the execution of the stunt and choreography
- The Execution Score or E is scored out of 10.0 and points are deducted for technical faults like incorrect catch of the apparatus or losing the apparatus
- The Artistic Score or A has a maximum of 10.0 and is marked for the music and choreography
- The Difficulty Score or D begins at 0 and is scored to a maximum of 10.0 points
- For the Final Composition Scoring, Artistic Score and Difficulty Score is added and an average is taken. (A+D divided by 2)
Rhythmic Gymnastics History
The today's modern version of Rhythmic Gymnastics dates back to 1030s where a kind of gymnastics with basic choreographic moves was performed in Europe. It was during the Los Angeles Games of 1984 that it made its Olympic debut, but the first ever World Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships were hosted almost 20 years before its Olympic debut in Budapest in 1963. Later, during the Atlanta 1996 Games, another group was added to the event. The Rhythmic Gymnastics is the only all-women sports event. The top scorer is the athlete who displays great standards of balance, strength, coordination and flexibility, but also perfect artistic dance moves. The International Gymnastics Federation, the world governing body for Gymnastics has taken the decision to eliminate the use of rope as a permitted piece of apparatus a part of rhythmic gymnastics at all levels of the sport. Even though the phasing out is still underway, it will cease to be used by 2013. This decision was taken in the wake of the increasing number of spinal injuries that happen due to the poor technique of rope gymnastics.
The today's modern version of Rhythmic Gymnastics dates back to 1030s where a kind of gymnastics with basic choreographic moves was performed in Europe. It was during the Los Angeles Games of 1984 that it made its Olympic debut, but the first ever World Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships were hosted almost 20 years before its Olympic debut in Budapest in 1963. Later, during the Atlanta 1996 Games, another group was added to the event. The Rhythmic Gymnastics is the only all-women sports event. The top scorer is the athlete who displays great standards of balance, strength, coordination and flexibility, but also perfect artistic dance moves. The International Gymnastics Federation, the world governing body for Gymnastics has taken the decision to eliminate the use of rope as a permitted piece of apparatus a part of rhythmic gymnastics at all levels of the sport. Even though the phasing out is still underway, it will cease to be used by 2013. This decision was taken in the wake of the increasing number of spinal injuries that happen due to the poor technique of rope gymnastics.