At which Olympics did rhythmic gymnastics first appear as a separate discipline?

At which Olympics did rhythmic gymnastics first appear as a separate discipline? Rhythmic gymnastics first appeared as an Olympic discipline at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.

The debut consisted of a women’s individual all-around competition held at UCLA’s Pauley Pavilion. Gymnasts performed routines with apparatus such as rope, hoop, ball, clubs and ribbon, combining flexibility, dance, balance and precise handling. Canada’s Lori Fung won the first Olympic gold medal in rhythmic gymnastics.

The 1984 debut had unusual circumstances. The Soviet Union and several other Eastern Bloc nations boycotted the Los Angeles Games, meaning many leading rhythmic gymnasts were absent. The boycott affected the competitive field, but it did not change the event’s status as the sport’s official Olympic introduction.

Rhythmic gymnastics is distinct from artistic gymnastics, which includes events such as vault, uneven bars, balance beam and floor exercise. Another common mix-up is the group event: it was not part of the Olympic debut and was added later, beginning at the 1996 Atlanta Games.