What are the gymnastics events at the 2024 Olympics in Paris? Apparatus, format, scoring and schedule

Olympic gymnastics, which has been a staple of the modern Summer Games ever since they were first held in Athens back in 1896, is today split up into three fields: artistic, rhythmic and trampoline.

Artistic gymnastics is what the majority of viewers are most familiar with - that’s the domain of the likes of Team USA’s Simone Biles, a seven-time Olympic champion and the most decorated gymnast in history. It is the variant of gymnastics that was among the Games’ original disciplines.

Rhythmic and trampoline gymnastics came later: the former made its debut at the Los Angeles Summer Games in 1984, before the latter was added to the Olympic line-up at Sydney 2000.

What’s the difference between artistic and rhythmic gymnastics?

While it is pretty self-evident what makes trampoline gymnastics unique, the difference between artistic and rhythmic gymnastics is probably less obvious to anyone who isn’t a regular viewer of the sport.

In broad-brushstroke terms, writes Britannica’s Jonathan Hoeback, rhythmic gymnastics is “all about presentation and style”, while artistic gymnastics “is more technical, rewarding precise movements and athletic strength”. As we look at the two disciplines below, we’ll dive deeper into the things that set them apart.

Artistic gymnastics

Artistic gymnastics, which involves both male and female competitors, generally involves athletes performing jumps, flips, twists and turns using a large, stationary piece of apparatus. According to the organisers of the Paris 2024 Olympics, artistic gymnasts must not only show the aforementioned precision and strength, but also need to display qualities such as “agility [and] coordination”.

In women’s competition, there are four core disciplines. Gymnasts can perform acrobatics using one of three pieces of apparatus - the beam, the vault or the uneven bars - and there is also a floor exercise. The floor exercise involves performing a routine set to music on a mat that measures 40 square feet. There are specific competitions for all four disciplines - each involving individual competitors - and they are also combined into contests for all-rounders. There are team and individual all-around events.

In men’s artistic gymnastics, there are five pieces of equipment - vault, rings, pommel horse, horizontal bar and parallel bars - and the floor exercise. As with the women, each discipline not only has its own competition, but is also combined to make up a team and individual all-around event.

Gymnasts are scored by a group of judges on two factors: the difficulty of their routines, and their execution. In the individual apparatus events, the top eight performers in the qualifying rounds go through to the final, where the medals are then won. In the all-around contests, the top eight teams progress to the medal round in the team event, and the top 24 gymnasts advance in the individual competition.

When is artistic gymnastics at Paris 2024?

Artistic gymnastics kicks off on Saturday July 27, and concludes on Monday August 5.

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Rhythmic gymnastics

Unlike artistic gymnastics, the rhythmic section only involves women. What’s more, it doesn’t involve large, static pieces of apparatus: it’s always performed as a floor exercise, and the equipment that gymnasts use is handheld. Set to music, athletes perform routines featuring dancing, jumps and rotation, using one of four pieces of apparatus to embellish their display: a ball, a hoop, clubs or a ribbon on a stick.

In rhythmic gymnastics, the Olympics’ organisers say, performers “showcase skill, flexibility and musicality”, adding that “balance” and “poise” are essential traits they need to show.

The former gymnast Valorie Kondos Field appears to agree with this assessment, telling an interview with Mental Floss: “Rhythmic gymnastics is much more acrobatic dance or ballet than artistic gymnastics - and their training is heavily into ballet. Their ability to balance, and their turns - to be able to pull off five and six turns in all these weird positions - comes from heavy ballet training. They have very, very, very little gymnastics training.”

Whereas artistic gymnasts are marked on two criteria, rhythmic gymnasts are given a score based on three factors: difficult, execution and artistry. In Olympic rhythmic gymnastics, there are only two events: the individual all-around, in which performers must do routines with each object, and the group all-around, in which teams must do joint routines involving either one piece of apparatus or a combination. The top 10 athletes progress from qualifying in the individual event, while the best eight teams make the group final.

When is rhythmic gymnastics at Paris 2024?

Rhythmic gymnastics begins on Thursday August 8, and comes to a conclusion on Saturday August 10.

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Trampoline gymnastics

The newest of the Olympics’ three gymnastics disciplines, trampolining sees athletes bounce off a rectangular canvas made of synthetic fabric. Reaching heights of up to eight metres, they must perform routines that include 10 acrobatic skills, such tucks, twists and somersaults.

Judges mark performances on difficulty, execution, time in the air and where gymnasts land - the closer to the centre of the trampoline, the better. Trampoline gymnastics consists of two events: men’s individual and women’s individual. In each competition, eight gymnasts progress from qualification to the final round.

When is trampoline gymnastics at Paris 2024?

Trampoline gymnastics takes place on Friday August 2.

Who are the US gymnasts taking part in Paris 2024?

The US’s gymnastics team for Paris 2024 is headlined by Biles, who will be appearing at her third Summer Olympics. The Stars and Stripes’ roster also includes three other Olympic medal winners: Suni Lee, who won a gold, silver and bronze at Tokyo 2020; Jade Carey, who won a gold at the last Summer Games; and Jordan Chiles, who won a silver in Japan.

Evita Griskenas will the USA’s only rhythmic gymnast in the French capital this summer, while Aliaksei Shostak and Jessica Stevens will be the Americans’ two trampoline entrants.

Team USA gymnastics roster for Paris 2024:

Simone Biles; Jade Carey; Jordan Chiles; Evita Griskenas; Asher Hong; Paul Juda; Suni Lee; Stephen Nederoscik; Fred Richard; Hezly Rivera; Aliaksei Shostak; Jessica Stevens.

Paris 2024: dates, how to watch in the USA

The opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics is to be held on Friday July 26 - although some events got underway on Wednesday 24 and Thursday 25. The Games are to come to a conclusion on Sunday August 11, when the closing ceremony takes place at the Stade de France.

TV viewers in the United States will be able to watch the Olympics on NBC Olympics, Telemundo, Universo and Peacock, as well as NBC sister channels including CNBC, E! and USA Network.