Women's Artistic Gymnastics is an Olympic discipline, which features four gymnastic apparatus: a vault, a balance beam, uneven bars and floor (floor exercises). At the Olympic Games, gymnasts compete for six sets of medals – in team standings and individual all around, as well as in the finals on the different apparatus.
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History of this discipline originated in the mid-18th century; among pioneers of the artistic gymnastics movement, it is worth to note German Friedrich Ludwig Jahn (1778-1852), who laid the foundation of this sport. It is interesting that the first Artistic Gymnastics World Championships, held in Antwerp in 1903, supposed participation of only men, while women were able to show their skills only at the 1928 Olympic Games in Amsterdam. International Gymnastics Federation held first World Championships among women in Budapest in 1934, while first European Championships in Women’s Artistic Gymnastics are held since 1957. |
In Azerbaijan, Women's Artistic Gymnastics began to develop in late 2013; Anna Pavlova and Marina Nekrasova were the first gymnasts to represent the country in the international arena. Performing at the Voronin Cup in Moscow, our gymnasts won medals, and the following year Pavlova won a gold medal of the World Cup Series, which was held in Slovenia. It was Anna Pavlova, who showed the second result on the vault and became the first Azerbaijani gymnast, who won the silver medal of the European Championship held in Bulgaria. Today, Women's Artistic Gymnastics is at a stage of development in our country, and the opening of new gymnastic section in this sport, as well as a massive interest in it prove that the Federation is on the right track. For example, in late 2014б Azerbaijan Gymnastics Federation held the Championship and city Championship in this sport. Women's Artistic Gymnastics is one of the disciplines, which was included in the program of the European Games. Gymnasts will compete for six sets of medals - in the team standings, individual all-around and apparatus finals (exercises on the balance beam, uneven bars, vault and floor exercises).
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Vault
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As in the case of men, women perform exercise on the vault while running at full speed using special additional support - a springboard. The length of the apparatus is 1.6 m, while width is 0.35 m. A gymnast takes a run along special track with a length of 25 m, pushes off from the springboard and then springs out of the apparatus using hands. Vaults can be straight, salto and with handspring |
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Uneven bars
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Are of two egg-shaped wooden poles fortified on metal frame at different height. First, exercise on the uneven bars should include circles backward and forward around upper and lower poles, as well as different technical elements |
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Balance beam
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The balance beam, a gymnastics apparatus with a length of 5 m and width of 0.1 m, fixed at a height of 1.25 m above the floor. An exercise on the balance beam represents single composition of dynamic elements such as jumps, spins, pacing, salto, dance steps, and static elements – split, swallow and those performed stand upright, sitting and laying on the apparatus. Athletes have to use the entire length of the balance beam. Judges evaluate flexibility, static sense and elegance of the gymnasts. |
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Floor exercises
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As in the case of men, floor exercises are performed on a special gymnastics carpet with a dimension of 12x12 m. There are one-meter wide “security border” that passes around the carpet. A floor exercise represents single composition of separate elements (rolls, salto, splits, handstands etc.) During performance, athletes should use the entire area of the floor. Judges evaluate difficulty of the program and its elements, as well as purity and certainty of execution. Originality of the composition and artistry of the athlete are also important. |
- The title of the absolute Champion of the Olympic Games is the highest title in gymnastics
- Many outstanding gymnasts are coming up with their own technical elements, which then receive their names: "Delasalle’s Circles" on pommel horse, "The Diomidov" move on the parallel bars, etc.
- European Championships in Artistic Gymnastics first held long before the appearance of the relevant governing body.