Rhythmic gymnastics is one of two sports on the Olympic program (along with synchronized swimming) to be contested only by women.

There are two events:

Individual all-around                            Group

There are four apparatus in senior rhythmic gymnastics competition: clubs, ribbon, ball and hoop.  The individual all-around event will feature all four apparatus.  The group event will feature one routine with all five gymnasts using balls and a second routine with a combination of three ribbons and two hoops.

Rhythmic gymnastics will be held at Wembley Arena.  First opened in 1934, it underwent major refurbishment for a reopening in April 2006 after decades of hosting various sporting events and concerts.

London 2012 Storylines:
Beginning in 2010, the international governing body, FIG, has removed the rope as one of the apparatus in senior competition.

London 2012 will be the first Olympic Games to feature reference judges.  This position was introduced at the 2010 World Championships in an effort to eradicate dishonesty and mistakes in judging.

If she successfully defends her Olympic title, Russian star Evgenia Kanaeva will be the first rhythmic gymnast to win the individual all-around gold medal twice.

Canada's Outlook:
Canada's Lori Fung won the first Olympic rhythmic gymnastics gold medal when the sport made its debut in Los Angeles 1984.  It remains Canada's lone medal in the sport.

Canada has qualified for London 2012 as a group; however no individual gymnast qualified for the Olympic Games.

Other International Athletes to Follow:

INDIVIDUALS

Evgenia Kanaeva – Russia

• Won the 2008 Olympic title with one of the most dominant performances in Olympic rhythmic gymnastics history, earning the top score in all four apparatus
• Captured gold in all five individual events, as well as team gold at 2011 World Championships
• Won three consecutive individual all-around World titles (2009-11)

• Won back-to-back-to-back silver medals in the individual all-around at the 2009, 2010 and 2011 World Championships
• Captured gold in all five individual events, as well as team gold at 2011 World Championships
• Trains alongside Olympic Champion Evgenia Kanaeva under the tutelage of acclaimed coach Irina Viner

Russia has won the gold medal at the last three Olympic Games (Sydney 2000, Athens 2004, Beijing 2008) and took the World title five straight times from 1999 to 2007 and then once again in 2011.

In the last few years, Italy has come on strong, winning back-to-back World titles in 2009 and 2010 while relegating the Russians to third behind Belarus.