Group, Women

The group event consisted of the use of a ball and club in the qualifying round and the hoop and ball in the final. The event was supposed to consist of the top eight teams from the 1995 World Championships, but China placed a surprising ninth at that event, so the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique (FIG) expanded the Olympic field to nine teams. At the 1995 World, the medals had gone to Russia, Bulgaria, and Ukraine, in that order, with Spain fifth. But in Atlanta, Russia did not threaten for the gold medal. Bulgaria led after the qualifying round but Spain narrowly won the gold medal with their finals performance.