The 20th European Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships were held in Kyiv, Ukraine, from 4 to 6 June 2004. As in every Olympic year, the competition focused on the individual and group all-around, the two events contested at the Games.
Kabaeva before Athens
Alina Kabaeva of Russia won the individual all-around. A few months later she won the Olympic title in Athens, completing a set of world, European and Olympic all-around titles. Russia also won the group all-around.
Ukraine as host
Ukraine was one of the strongest rhythmic nations of the period, with Anna Bessonova among the leading individual gymnasts in Europe. Hosting the Europeans in Kyiv in an Olympic year gave the home team valuable experience under pressure.
Reading Olympic-year Europeans
– The programme is shorter, but the stakes are high: judges and rivals see each gymnast’s Olympic routines for the first time at full intensity. – Group all-around results in May and June often anticipate the Olympic group podium. – Apparatus specialists have fewer chances in Olympic years, because there are no individual apparatus finals.
Related
The previous edition took place in Riesa in 2003. Our Rhythmic Gymnastics page explains the individual and group formats.
