The Olympic discipline of rhythmic gymnastics will compete together with the non-Olympic acrobatic gymnastics. In Rhythmic gymnastics 99 female athletes are represented (21 individual and 13 groups) and in acrobatics 51 athletes (9 mixed pairs and 11 women’s groups) will compete, from 17 to 21 June, at the National Gymnastics Arena.
Competition format:
Rhythmic individuals: 21 gymnasts (max. 2 per country) will compete during qualification. This competition also serves as all-around final: the gymnast with the highest combined score of all 4 apparatus, wins the all-around title. With each apparatus the top 6 gymnasts (max. 1 per country) advance to the apparatus finals. All 4 apparatus pieces will be alternated in competition interspersed with Acrobatic women’s group in the first 2 rotations and mixed pairs in the last 2 rotations. Each judging panel will judge 2 apparatuses.
Rhythmic groups: During qualification 13 groups (max. 1 per country) present 2 exercises (5 ribbons and 3 clubs + 2 hoops). The combined score of these exercises will determine the all-around ranking. The top 6 groups (max. 1 per country) per exercise advance to the apparatus finals. Groups will compete the first apparatus in alternation with women’s group balance and mixed pair dynamic, and the second apparatus with women’s group dynamic and mixed pair balance.
Acrobatics: In qualification both mixed pairs and women’s group present 2 exercises: 1 balance and 1 dynamic. The top 6 combined results advance to the all-around final where they have to present a combined exercise. This score will be added to the qualification score to determine the all-around ranking. The top 6 results per exercise qualify to the event finals. Only the score in the event final counts for the result.
Alternation explained:
To make the events easier to follow for spectators both in the hall and at home, 1 gymnast will compete at a time. One rhythmic gymnast competes and while she waits for her score, another rhythmic gymnast competes for a second judging panel. While she waits for her score, an acrobatics performance will take place. This way there is always a gymnast performing.
Who to watch in Rhythmic Gymnastics:
The world’s best gymnasts will take to the carpet in Baku, highlighted by the participation of European and World Champion Yana Kudryavtseva (RUS) and her teammate Margarita Mamun. Their main challengers will be the Belarussian duo of Melitina Staniouta and Ekaterina Halkina, Ukraine’s Ganna Rizatdinova, home star Marina Durunda (AZE) and Israel’s Neta Rivkin. For the group competition top teams like Russia, Belarus, Italy, Spain, Israel and Ukraine will fight for the medals.
Who to watch in Acrobatic Gymnastics:
The top three teams from last year’s World Championships - Russia, Great Britain and Belgium - will be represented. Russia’s World Champion in mixed pair Marina Chernova will participate with her new partner Georgy Pataraya, being challenged by Ukraine’s Yelizaveta Vasylyga and Oleksandr Shpyn and Belgium’s Yana Vastavel and Solano Cassamajor, who were fourth at the last World Championships. Fresh from their participation in the final of Belgium’s Got Talent, the women’s group of Ineke Van Schoor, Julie Van Gelder and Kaat Dumarey, bronze medallists at the 2014 Worlds, is now focusing on Baku and will battle with the groups of Russia and Great Britain for the title.
Competition schedule: RG
Podium training on June 16 is open to media
17 June: rhythmic groups all-around final + acrobatics mixed pairs and women’s groups qualification, 10.00 to 15.00
19 June: rhythmic individuals all-around final + acrobatics mixed pairs and women’s groups all-around final, 10.00 to 15.30
21 June: rhythmic groups and individuals apparatus finals + acrobatics mixed pairs and women’s groups event finals, 14.30 to 19.15
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All Guides (work plans) and detailed training and competitions schedules are published on our event page: http://www.ueg.org/en/event/europeanGames.html
General information about the European Games can be find on the official website www.baku2015.com
#Baku2015 is the hashtag used for all events at the European Games. For gymnastics #Baku2015Gym is used.