What we learned: Rhythmic gymnastics wrap-up from the Tokyo 2020 Olympics

Rhythmic gymnastics at Tokyo 2020 provided no shortage of drama as Israel's Linoy Ashram upset pre-event favourite Dina Averina, the three-time world champion.

Bulgaria's win in the group all-around final was the first for the nation in an event that had been dominated by Russia, which had won five-straight gold medals coming into Tokyo.

Here’s our wrap-up of all the action.

Top five artistic gymnastics moments at Tokyo 2020

Here are some of the highlights from the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, which took place in 2021.

1 - Linoy Ashram claims individual gold

Israel's Linoy Ashram made history in the rhythmic gymnastics all-around final as she became the first Israeli woman to capture gold in any Olympic event. Her gold came after a major upset, holding off the three-time and reigning world champion Dina Averina of ROC in a final that came down to the last routine.

“I don’t know what I feel. I don’t have words, I’m so excited. It’s history,” Ashram told Olympics.com afterward.

Ashram's success hardly came from nowhere, however. The 22-year-old has three times made it to the all-around podium at the World Championships. She was the silver medallist in 2018 and took bronze in 2017 and 2019. Her Tokyo gold was her first global gold medal, adding to her 11 world medals.

"It's like a dream, I think (it's) like I'm not here," Ashram said. "It feels different because it was my dream. When I was young, I dreamed to be in the Olympics and compete there and then I go and take a gold medal."

2 - Dina Averina never gave up

Though Ashram led from the first event, ROC's Dina Averina refused to back down. Averina competed last in every rotation by luck of the draw, and there was a long wait after her final routine to see if it would be enough for gold.

That final performance came with the ribbon, where she posted the top score of the final for the apparatus. She came up just short, by .150, but still had done enough to win her first Olympics silver medal.

Averina's career has been a family affair: she and twin sister Arina have dominated the sport since Rio 2016. Twice (2017 and 2019) the twins have taken gold and silver in the all-around at the world.

But don't call it a rivalry, says Dina Averina.

"We never compete, but we always support each other," explained Dina Averina. "So if she wins, I'm happy for her. If I win, she's happy for me."

3 - Ending on a high note for Salome Pazhava

Georgia's most successful rhythmic gymnast Salome Pazhava competed in her second Olympic Games.

Fourth at the 2015 World Championships in Stuttgart, the stylish 23-year-old has shown boundless determination after dealing with multiple injuries since that global triumph six years ago.

She finished 17th at Tokyo 2020.

4 - A historic gold for Bulgaria in group

In the group competition, Bulgaria upset ROC for gold. It's the first time Bulgaria has claimed gold in rhythmic gymnastics.

It's the nation's best finish since claiming silver in the inaugural rhythmic group competition at Atlanta 1996. For the ROC, it was the first loss in Olympic group competition since 1996.

Bulgaria led after rotation one, posting a 47.550 for their five balls routine. ROC was second with a 46.200.

In the second rotation, Bulgaria once again posted the top score, topping ROC 44.550 to 44.500. There was no shortage of drama, as ROC performed last in the competition knowing exactly what it needed for gold.

When the score for ROC flashed, it appeared that Bulgaria would indeed win. But, it wasn't over yet: ROC protested its score. Minutes later, despite a change which added several tenths of a point to ROC's final total, Bulgaria's win was confirmed.

"It means everything. We put so much into these five years, so much work. We always believed we would be here, but it's still so unreal," Bulgaria's Stefani Kiryakova said. "It's so unreal, we cannot believe it. I don't know what to say. This is the happiest moment ever."

5 - Tears of joy for Italy

It was a emotional bronze medal for the Italian group, marking a return to the podium for the first time since 2012 when they also took bronze. It's the third medal for the nation in the event at the Olympics.

They won silver at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens.

"This medal means to us a lot of years in the gym to try again, again our exercise and I think that this is all," said Alessia Maurelli. "We are very happy today, it's like a dream. We hope that all the people that follow the competition are happy like we are."

One last look at Laura Zeng

Though she missed the final, Team USA's Laura Zeng deserves one last look. Her incredible career has been full of history making accomplishments, including the highest finish in the all-around at the World Championships (6th in 2017).

Zeng's bronze at the 2014 Youth Olympic Games remains her country's only medal in Olympic competition in the sport.

Hello, Paris 2024

Bronze medallist Alina Harnasko of Belarus is one to keep an eye on in the sport.

After 13th and 26th-place finishes at the World Championships in 2017 and 2019, respectively, the 19-year-old soared to the podium at Tokyo 2020, marking herself as one to watch as the Paris Games approach.

When and where to watch rhythmic gymnastics replays on Olympics.com?

Want to relive the magic of the rhythmic gymnastics competition at Tokyo 2020? We’ve got you covered: olympics.com/tokyo2020-replays

When does Linoy Ashram compete again?

Israeli's first Olympic gold medallist in rhythmic gymnastics, Linoy Ashram has not made fully clear her future plans, but there are World championships in the sport scheduled for late October in Kitakyushu, Japan.

Tokyo 2020 rhythmic gymnastics medallists

Individual:

GOLD: Linoy Ashram (ISR)
SILVER: Dina Averina (ROC)
BRONZE: Alina Harnasko (BLR)

Group:

Team:
GOLD: BUL
SILVER: ROC
BRONZE: ITA