ABOUT THE SPORT: Performed exclusively by women, rhythmic gymnastics combines gymnastics and dance. Gymnasts perform choreographed movements with musical accompaniment using hand apparatus such as: rope, hoop, ball, clubs and a ribbon.
The sport dates to the end of the 19th century.
As a competitive sport, rhythmic gymnastics began in the former Soviet Union about 60 years ago. The first World Championships for individual contestants was held in 1963. Rhythmic gymnastics was introduced as an Olympic sport at the 1984 Los Angeles Games. The first group competition was 12 years later, at the Atlanta Games.
U.S. BEST: The nation's lone representative is Mary Sanders, a three-time national champion who began gymnastics eight years ago. She was 10th in the all-around at last year's World Championships. Sanders, 18, is a dual citizen of the U.S. and Canada. She was a five-time member of the Canadian National team, but switched to the U.S. team two years ago.
Sanders won all four categories at this year's Olympic trials.
She is inspired by her late father, Fred, the 1963 Big Ten trampoline champion and NCAA runner-up from the University of Michigan. He also was her first coach. He died of cancer.
"Every time I step out onto the floor, I feel him watching over me," Sanders told USA Today. "Whenever I'm scared or feel jittery, I call on my father for strength."
Trampoline
The first use of a trampoline is believed to date to 1800, and it began to gain popularity 100 years later. In 1964, the International Trampoline Federation was founded, and the same year the first World Championship was held in London. Trampoline was introduced to the Olympics at the Sydney Games four years ago.
U.S. BEST: Jennifer Parilla, the lone American competitor, is a seasoned veteran. In fact, she is the only U.S. athlete to compete in trampoline at the Olympics; this is her second Olympic trip. Parilla, a five-time national champion, finished ninth in the 2000 Olympics.
Parilla, 23, has been on the national team for 10 years. In preparation for the Olympics, she trained with Russian coach Oleg Fedozov and former world champion Anna Dogonadze.
- Compiled by the Times staff using information from www.athens2004.com was used in this report.
