Preview, schedule and how to watch the stars in action

The first qualifying spots for the sport will be awarded at the 2022 Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships in Sofia, Bulgaria Games Paris 2024 with the individual and group all-around medalists receiving Olympic berths for their National Olympic Committees.

There is also gold, silver and bronze in all-around and apparatus competitions, both in individual and group competitions, as well as in an overall team competition.

With the action set to begin on Wednesday September 14, here’s the schedule, the women you can watch and how to stream the Paris 2024 qualifier live where you are, including on Olympic Channel via Olympics.com (see below).

Stars Eyes – 2022 World Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships – Sofia, Bulgaria

The battle for universal gold will likely be between Israel Daria Atamanov and Bulgaria Boriana Kaleyn. The duo took first and second place at the European Championships in June.

Atamonov is competing in her first season as a senior after a breakthrough year. In her season debut, she finished second at the World Cup in Athens and fourth at the World Cup in Baku. Her European Championship campaign included silvers in hoops, ribbons and clubs, in addition to her all-around gold. Atamanov takes over the baton from his Israeli compatriot Linoy Ashram who won the all-around gold at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics in 2021 before retiring from the sport.

Kaleyn, fifth at Tokyo 2020 and fourth at the 2021 Worlds, has enjoyed many triumphs throughout the season, including all-around gold at the Worlds in Sofia and gold in individual events at both the Europeans and World Games.

Other contenders for individual all-around world gold and qualifying spots for the Paris Olympics include Italy Sofia Raffaeliwho became world champion in Athens, and Bulgaria’s Stiliana Nikolaovathe European bronze medalist.

With Russia and Belarus not admitted to the competition it will not matter who wins, it will be historic as no non-Russia has won all-around gold at the event since Ukraine Anna Bessonova won in 2007.

In the group competition, 2022 European medalists Israel, Italy and Azerbaijan will once again be favorites for the podium in Sofia. Bulgaria, who won Olympic gold a season ago, will also compete.

Russian teams have won the last five group all-around titles.

Schedule – 2022 World Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships – Sofia, Bulgaria

Below is the schedule of events. All times refer to the event, which is Eastern European Summer Time (EEST) and is 3 hours ahead of GMT/UTC.

Wednesday 14 September

09:30-19:10 – Individual Qualification (Hoop and Ball)

21:00-22:22 – Individual Apparatus Finals (Hoop and Ball)

Thursday 15 September

09:30-19:13 – Individual Qualification (Clubs and Ribbon)

21:00-22:22 – Individual apparatus finals (clubs and ribbon)

Friday 16 September

14:30-19:00 – Group all-around

Saturday 17 September

14:45-17:00 – Individual All-Around Finals (Group B, Rank 10-18)

17:15-19:30 – Individual All-Around Finals (Group A, Rank 1-9)

Sunday 18 September

15:03-16:30 – Group apparatus finals (5 hoops, 3 ribbons + 2 balls)

As seen – 2022 World Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships – Sofia, Bulgaria

The World Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships will be televised worldwide, with a live digital stream also available.

Fans in some regions can watch the competition for free on the Olympic Channel via Olympics.com and the official Olympic Games apps for mobile and connected devices (territorial restrictions apply).

It is also reported on the FIG YouTube channel.

For more details on TV coverage and how to watch gymnasts qualifying for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in your region, visit the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) website.