Rachel Smith: 'Rhythmic gymasts want to influence youth'

Team GB's rhythmic gymnastics captain Rachel Smith has revealed that she hopes Britain's first Olympic appearance in the competition will influence the nation's youth.

By having a team in the rhythmic gymnastics for the first time in London, Smith said that she wants to raise the profile of the event and inspire a new generation.

"I'm hoping that having a rhythmic gymnast team in the Olympics for the first time will have an impact on young gymnasts," she told Eurosport.

"I'm hoping the public will be able to see what rhythmic gymnastics is as they don't really know what it is as a sport, and that it will raise the profile. [I also hope that] more people will take it up, and [it will] become a popular sport – maybe one of the most popular around."

The individual and group rhythmic gymnastics events begin on Thursday.