When most people think of women’s gymnastics, they picture the gymnasts that they watch at the Olympics. Because the United States has very talented women’s gymnastics teams that are usually in medal contention at the World Championship and the Olympics, many of the young participants become household names. For viewers watching at home, seeing these strong, talented women compete in balance beam, floor exercises, uneven bars, and the vault is the highlight of the entire Olympic competition.
It may not be at the top of your “must see” list for the Olympics, but there is another type of gymnastics competition for women. It’s called rhythmic gymnastics. Like typical gymnastics, there are several events. Each individual competes in rope, hoop, ball, clubs, ribbon, and freestyle. Except for freestyle, which uses no apparatus, the competitor uses the various equipment and their athletic and dance skills to impress the judges.
Where typical gymnastics is mostly about power and high flying moves, rhythmic gymnastics is much more like ballet and focuses on the artistry. But, they do some pretty amazing tricks using their apparatus.
Russian rhythmic gymnasts are known for being at the top of their sport. At the top tier international competitions, they are the ones to beat. The gymnast in this video shows why.
Daria Kondakova is a Russian rhythmic gymnast and three-time silver medalist in the World Cup. Born in Sochi, Russia, she is known for being one of the best in her sport. She has topped podiums as a junior and an adult competitor.
Dressed in a shimmering gold outfit, she takes to the floor with nothing else except a small, shiny, golden ball. It doesn’t seem like much, but when she performs her routine, she accomplished tricks that I wouldn’t have thought possible. Seriously, this woman makes her routine look flawless. Absolutely stunning! There’s no denying the sheer artistry and mastery behind her performance. She brings everything she’s got to the table and wows every set of eyes on her. Who knew a girl and a ball could take down the house like she does? Well, she does!
Watch her jaw-dropping performance for yourself, here. Bet you can’t take your eyes off of her!
