Artistic Gymnastics

Winter

HISTORY OF SPORT

The history of gymnastics can be traced all the way back to ancient Greece where gymnastics exercises were used to prepare for war, and eventually became a central component of ancient Greek education. Gymnastics rose in popularity among the ancient Greeks until the Roman Emperor abolished the ancient Olympic Games, and many sports (including gymnastics) dropped off the radar.

The sport experienced a rebirth in the 19th century when two physical educators developed exercises on stationary apparatus to improve self-discipline and body strength. One of these educators, Friedrich Ludwig Jahn, is often referred to as the “father of gymnastics”. The sport expanded internationally with the founding of the FIG (Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique) in 1881; subsequently, competitive gymnastics emerged on the world stage with the first modern Olympic Games in 1896, and the first Gymnastics World Championships in 1903.

At the start of the 20th century, gymnastics competitions were limited to men only. Women first participated in the Olympic Games in 1928 in “synchronized calisthenics”, which was a team event; women would not be allowed to compete as individuals until the 1952 Games in Helsinki.

The events of gymnastics competitions were continually changing and evolving through the first half of the 1900s, and included events such as rope climbing, high jump, and the horizontal ladder. By 1954, a uniform scoring structure was introduced, and both men’s and women’s events were standardized to include the same apparatus used in competition today.

The sport of gymnastics has continued to grow in Canada, and is now one of the largest participatory activities in the country. It is now officially recognized by Sport Canada as a fundamental sport that teaches basic movement skills, and therefore provides a solid base for all other sports. Specifically, gymnastics teaches and develops the ABCs of athleticism: agility, balance, coordination, speed. It has been a part of the Canada Games since the inaugural games in 1967 in Quebec City.

CANADA GAMES SPORT HISTORY AND PAST RESULTS

Artistic gymnastics were contested at the very first Canada Winter Games in Quebec City, QC, in 1967. Below are the ranking of the Provinces/Territories since the inaugural games:

	1967*		1971*		1975*		1979		1983		1987		1991		1995		1999		2003		2007		2011		2015
	M	F	M	F	M	F	M	F	M	F	M	F	M	F	M	F	M	F	M	F	M	F	M	F	C
AB	-	-	-	-	-	-	3	2	3	5	6	4	5	4	3	3	3	6	1	6	2	5	5	4	4
BC	3	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2	4	3	3	3	4	5	2	2	3	4	1	2	2	2	3
MB	-	-	-	-	-	3	4	4	5	4	5	5	7	6	8	6	7	4	7	3	6	6	9	5	7
NB	-	-	-	-	-	-	8	8	-	8	8	6	9	7	7	8	8	8	10	8	9	7	8	8	8
NL	-	-	-	-	-	-	9	9	6	10	9	9	10	9	10	9	10	10	9	9	10	10	10	9	9
NT	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	11	12	-	-	-	-	11	-	-
NS	-	-	-	-	-	-	6	6	8	7	7	7	8	8	5	4	5	7	8	7	7	8	4	7	6
NU	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
ON	2	1	2	1	2	2	2	2	2	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	3	2	1	3	3	3	1	2
PE	-	-	-	-	-	-	10	9	-	9	10	10	6	10	9	10	9	9	6	10	8	9	7	10	10
QC	1	2	1	3	1	1	1	1	1	3	2	2	2	2	2	2	4	1	4	2	4	1	1	3	1
SK	-	-	3	-	3	-	7	7	4	6	3	8	4	5	6	7	6	5	5	5	5	4	6	6	5
YT	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	10	9	11	-	11	-	11	-	11	-	11	-	11	-	10	-	11	11

EQUIPMENT & TERMINOLOGY

The look of most gymnastics equipment has remained constant through the years; however, numerous equipment modifications have been made over the years to increase the safety for athletes. Overall, though, the competition floor looks the same has it did in the past.

The equipment is listed in alphabetical order, men and women apparatus combined:

Balance Beam (BB) - Women’s (WAG)

The balance beam is an aluminum frame covered by rubberized foam cushioning to provide shock absorption for the ankles and wrists; a synthetic suede top surface allows for greater moisture absorption, better grip, and a non-slip performance. The beam measures 5 m long, and only 10 cm wide. In competition, the height of the beam is set at 125 cm.

Beam routines include combinations of turns, jumps and leaps, tumbling, acrobatic and dance elements, followed by a dismount. The routine is not to exceed 90 seconds, and a fall from the beam is an automatic deduction of 1.0 points, with 10 seconds to remount.

Floor Exercise (FX) – Men’s (MAG) & WAG

The majority of competitive gymnastics floors are now spring floors; they contain springs and/or a rubber foam and plywood combination. This composition makes the floor bouncy, softens the impact of landings, and enables gymnasts to maximize height during tumbling. The performance space of the apparatus measures 12 metres by 12 metres, with a diagonal pass of approximately 17 metres. In addition, the out-of-bounds area is indicated by a border of white tape or mats of a different colour.

Dance and tumbling elements, combined with creative choreography, make the floor exercise one of the most popular gymnastics events. Both the men’s and women’s routines have required elements. The men’s routines can be up to 70 seconds and are done without music, while the women’s routines can be up to 90 seconds and are performed to music.

Horizontal (High) Bar (HB) - MAG

The high bar rail is 240 cm wide and is set at a height of 260 cm from the mat. The bar is typically made of steel and is held rigidly in place by a system or cables and stiff vertical supports.

Routines on the high bar involve a series of swings with various grips, “in bar” work, turns, release and regrasp skills, and a dismount. It is a very dynamic event, often regarded as the most exciting gymnastics event due to the spectacular nature of the aerial release moves and powerful swings.

Parallel Bars (PB) - MAG

The apparatus consists of two parallel bars that are held in place by a metal support framework. The bars are made of a fiberglass core with a wood veneer covering; they are 3.5 metres long and are held 2 metres above the floor. The gymnasts adjust the width between the two bars according to their body size.

A parallel bars routine consists of swinging, flight, and strength elements. Top level routines will consist mainly of swing and flight elements, with no more than three stops permitted throughout the exercise. Gymnasts must travel the full length of the apparatus, and must work both on top of below the bars.

Pommel Horse (PH) -MAG

The pommel horse is an apparatus with intense strength requirements. Modern pommel horses have a metal body that is covered with foam rubber and leather, and have plastic handles (pommels).

The height of the top surface of the apparatus from the floor is 115 cm. The top surface is 160 cm long, and 35 cm wide; the height of the pommels from the horse is 12 cm, and the distance between the pommels is 40 cm.

Still Rings (SR) -MAG

The ring tower has spring-loaded swivels combined with built-in shock absorbers to help reduce the jolt and stress on the athlete’s shoulders and back. The rings are suspended by non-stretch nylon straps and plastic encased cables. They are suspended at a height of 260 cm from the mat below.

A routine on the rings will contain a combination of swing, strength, and hold elements, all while controlling the movement of the rings. A high, clean, and controlled dismount finishes off the routine. One of the most demanding of the men’s events, this apparatus is a sheer test of strength, power, and muscular endurance

Uneven Bars (UB )- WAG

The rails of the uneven bars are made of fiberglass with a wood veneer covering. They are held parallel to each other (and the floor) by a system of cables and steel vertical supports; the upper bar measures 241 cm from the floor, and the lower bar 161 cm from the floor. Athletes may adjust the width between the two bars to a maximum of 180 cm.

Uneven bar routines should be continuous, with elements flowing from one into another. They include swinging, turns, flight elements, and a dismount. A fall from the bars results in an automatic deduction of 1.0 points, with 30 seconds to remount.

Vault (VT) - MAG & WAG

The vault table for both men and women measures 120 cm in length and 90 cm in width; the height is set at 135 cm for the men, and 125 cm for the women. The runway is 1 metre wide, and a maximum of 25 metres long. The stiffness of the springboard that precedes the vault used to be adjusted by changing the springs. This practice is no longer authorized in competition, so organizers provide 3 boards for athletes: a soft, a medium, and a hard board.

Gymnasts may either run directly onto the board to do their vault (forward entry) or do a roundoff on the floor to land on the board facing away from the vault (Yurchenko entry vault). When an athlete performs a Yurchenko entry vault, the use of a collar around the board is mandatory for safety reasons.

Note:

In January 2001, the FIG launched a new era in vaulting with the introduction of the new vaulting table. Until that time, the vaulting apparatus had been a “horse”, much like the pommel horse but without handles. The women vaulted across the horse widthwise, and the men lengthwise. This narrow surface made the newer and more difficult vaults increasingly dangerous for athletes, and led to some serious accidents in international competition. The new, larger support surface of the vault has made this apparatus much safer for both the men’s and women’s athletes.

Terminology

WAG: Women’s Artistic Gymnastics

MAG: Men’s Artistic Gymnastics

GCG: Gymnastics Canada Gymnastique

FIG: Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique (International Gymnastics Federation)

Terminology of apparatus in the Olympic order of competition

MAG-

FX: Floor Exercise

PH: Pommel Horse

SR: Still Rings

VT: Vault

PB: Parallel Bars

HB: High/Horizontal Bar

WAG-

VT: Vault

UB: Uneven Bars

BB: Balance Beam

FX: Floor Exercise

AA / All Around: Competition in artistic gymnastics where the outcome is based on the cumulative scores of all apparatus (women = 4 events, men = 6 events)

AF / Apparatus Finals: Competition in artistic gymnastics where the outcome is based on the highest score for each individual apparatus. This may require qualification of the top 8 athletes on each apparatus in the All Around competition, or it may be based on scores from the All Around competition.

NOTABLE PAST ATHLETES/ALUMNI

M. NOTABLE PAST ATHLETES/ALUMNI

2011

Shallon Olsen, BC - 5th All-Around (AA) 3rd Beam, 1st Floor: Shallon is a current member of the Junior National team. She is a two-time Junior National Champion and will be competing again at the 2015 Canada Games

2007

Dominique Pegg, ON – 1st All-Around (AA): Dominique is a young, up-and-coming member of the Canadian National team. She was a member of the 2010 World Championships team and she finished 3rd AA at the 2010 Canadian Championships

Brittany Rogers, BC – 2nd AA: Brittany is currently a member of the Senior National team. At the 2009 World Championships, she made the All Around finals, and also qualified for apparatus finals on vault.

Jackson Payne, AB – 1st AA: Jackson was a member of the 2009 and 2010 World Championships team and at age 19, he has already won 2 World Cup medals.

Jayd Lukenchuk, SK – 2nd AA: Jayd is a member of the senior national team, and made his world championship début in Rotterdam finishing 47th in AA.

2003

Nathan Gafuik, AB – 1st AA: Nathan is currently a member of the Canadian Gymnastics Team. He qualified for the Individual All Around at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, and helped Canada to a best ever 6th place finish at the 2006 World Gymnastics Championships. Individually, Nathan was 17th in the All Around at these World Championships.

Adam Wong, AB – 3rd AA: At the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, he qualified for the individual All Around. He also helped Canada to a best ever 6th place finish at the 2006 World Gymnastics Championships, and was 9th in the All Around at these World Championships.

1999

Ken Ikeda, BC – 1st AA: Ken is currently a member of the Canadian Gymnastics Team and helped Canada to a best ever 6th place finish at the 2006 World Gymnastics Championships. He also was a member of the 2004 and 2008 Olympic Teams, and is the brother of 1991 Canada Games athlete Richard Ikeda.

Brandon O'Neill, AB – 16th AA: Brandon helped Canada to a best ever 6th place finish at the 2006 World Gymnastics Championships. Brandon won the silver medal on FX at the 2005 World Championships and has won 11 medals on the World Cup circuit. He is considered to be one of the best in the world on floor exercise and vault.

Kyle Shewfelt, AB - Canada's only artistic gymnastics Olympic medalist when he won gold at the 2004 Olympics on Floor Exercise. Won 2 bronze at the 2003 World Championships in Anaheim - floor exercise and vault. Kyle helped Canada to a best ever 6th place finish at the 2006 World Gymnastics Championships.

Amelie Plante, QC – 2nd AA: Amelie was a member of the 2004 Olympic team and the 2003 World Championships team.

1995

Lise Leveille, BC – 18th AA: Lise was a member of Canada's gold medal winning team at the 1999 Pan Am Games in Winnipeg and also a member of Canada's 2000 Olympic team in Sydney. Attended Stanford University on a gymnastics scholarship where she was the anchor of the team.

Alexander Jeltkov, QC – 1st AA: Alexander was a Horizontal Bar specialist and won several world cup medals and a World Championships silver medal on this event. He and Kyle Shewfelt were the lone representatives for Canada at the 2000 Olympics. “Sasha” was a member of the 2003 World Championships team that secured Canada a team berth at the 2004 Olympics.

David Kikuchi, NS – 21st AA: David helped Canada to a best ever 6th place finish at the 2006 World Gymnastics Championships. He also was a member of the 2004 & 2008 Olympic team and 2003 World Championships team.

1991

Richard Ikeda, BC – 3rd AA: One of Canada's best ever male gymnasts, Richard attended the 1996 Olympics and won the Senior Men's Canadian Championship 3 times. In 2003, he helped Canada to a 9th place finish at the World Championships. Upon his retirement in 2005, he had attended 20 Canadian Championships. Brother of 1999 Canada Games athletes Ken Ikeda

1987

Gord Hopper, SK – 1st pommel Horse. Gord Hopper served as the Gymnastics BC Technical Director for 10 years and is currently the High Performance Director for Freestyle Skiing Canada.

1983

Sandra Botnen, BC – 1st balance Beam. Sandra represented Canada at the 1985 World Championships. She is now a noted choreographer and song-writer, having composed lyrics to accompany the music of Cirque du Soleil composer Benoit Jutras.

Curtis Hibbert, ON – 1st AA: Curtis Hibbert won two world medals, *6* national All Around titles (a new record), and a Commonwealth All Around and team title between 1987 & 1992. Curtis Hibbert was a big surprise in winning his high bar world silver medal in Rotterdam in 1987. At the Seoul Olympic Games later that year, he made 3 event finals (floor, parallel bars, and high bar), finished 22nd in the All-Around, and led Canada to a best ever 9th place as a team - easily its best finish ever.

1979

Anita Botnen, BC – 3rd AA: Anita represented Canada at the 1984 Olympics.

1971

Philip Delesalle, BC – 1st FX: Philip Delesalle was the first great Canadian gymnast. He won 5 consecutive Canadian Championships (1976-1980), represented Canada at the 1976 Olympics to finish 22nd overall. At the 1979 World Championships he finished 12th. In 1992 the gymnastics world honour Philip by naming the pommel horse move he introduced in 1989 the "Delesalle".