Australia and New Zealand ready for 42nd Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships

Australia and New Zealand will represent Oceania when the 42nd Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships begin in Frankfurt, Germany, tonight.

The five-day championships will bring together 102 individual gymnasts and 42 groups representing 78 nations, a record number of nations for a Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships.

New Zealand will be represented in the individual competition by Havana Hopman, who will start with Clubs and Ribbon on Day 1 and then Hoop and Ball on Day 2.

Australia has selected three individual gymnasts, Miyabi Akiya, Sofia Hemmings and Veronika Ushakova

Australia will also compete in the group competition, represented by Le Ray Gymnastics Academy gymnasts Isabella Wang, Joselyn Cheung, Aggie Fan, Eleanor Hansen, Victoria Wei and Alexandra Eedle who will start on 5 Balls and then 3 Hoops/2 pairs of Clubs.

Individual qualification will take place across Wednesday 12 and Thursday 13 August. Each gymnast will perform across the four apparatus, with their best three scores contributing to qualification for the All-Around final.

The top 18 gymnasts will advance to the Individual All-Around final on Friday 14 August, while the top eight gymnasts on each apparatus will qualify for Sunday’s apparatus finals.

The group competition begins on Saturday 15 August. Each group will perform two routines, one with five Balls and one with three Hoops and two pairs of Clubs.

Saturday’s competition will determine the Group All-Around champions and the top eight groups advancing to each event final. The Team title will also be awarded based on each eligible nation’s individual apparatus and group routine scores.

The championships conclude on Sunday 16 August with the individual and group apparatus finals.

Oceania Gymnastics Union wishes all gymnasts and their teams the very best for the championships.

More information, schedules and results are available through the World Gymnastics event website.