Naazmi Johnston of Australia competes in the Individual All-Around Qualification round at the Beijing University of Technology Gymnasium on Day 14 of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. © Vladimir Rys/Bongarts/Getty Images

ELEGANCE AND GRACE COUPLED WITH ATHLETICISM AND SKILL

Rhythmic gymnastics twirled and twisted onto the Olympic program at the 1984 Los Angeles Games and has entertained crowds ever since. At the London Olympics, rhythmic gymnastics will be held at the iconic Wembley Arena, a key venue for live music and sport in London.

Australia’s Rhythmic Gymnastics team dominated at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi and now all eyes are set on London 2012. West Australian Janine Murray is Australia's leading rhythmic gymnast. At the 2012 Pacific Rim Championships in Seattle she won silver medals in the hoop and ball and bronze in her favourite event- the ribbon. Murray qualified for all four apparatus finals and finished third overall, showing great form leading to London.

RHYTHMIC GYMNASTICS FORMAT

In the Olympic rhythmic gymnastics competition there is the individual all-around and the group competition. In the individual all-around, 24 gymnasts compete using hand-held apparatus - in London the four apparatus will be ribbon, rope, clubs and ball.

There is a qualification round held over two day with gymnasts performing two apparatus each day. Scores from each routine are added and the top 10 advance to the final where scores do not carry over. In the final, gymnasts perform routines with all four apparatus with the highest score winning gold.

The group competition consists of 12 groups that perform two routines: the first with five balls and the second with three ribbons and two hoops. The eight highest ranked groups qualify for the final where scores do not carry over. In the final, each group performs with both sets of apparatus to achieve a total score (max 60.0 points).

QUALIFICATION AND SELECTION

Australia earned a wildcard Olympic berth to the individual all-around competition by virtue of Janine Murray being the highest ranked athlete from Oceania at the 2011 Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships in Montpellier (18-25 September 2011).

For all the Nomination and Selection documentation click here>>>

AUSTRALIAN OLYMPIC HISTORY

Australia competed in the inaugural Olympic rhythmic gymnastics competition, with Ann Maree Kerr and Linda Douglas competing at the 1984 Los Angeles Games. There have been a total of five Australian athletes in Olympic rhythmic gymnastics with Naazmi Johnston being the most recent competitor at the Beijing 2008 Games. The best placed athlete was Danielle Le Ray at the Sydney 2000 Olympics, finishing 19th.

To read more about the history of rhythmic gymnastics and Australia at the Olympics click here>>>