The International Gymnastics Federation is the body governing competition in all disciplines of gymnastics. Its headquarters is in Lausanne, Switzerland. It was founded on 23 July 1881 in Liège, Belgium, making it the world's oldest existing international sports organisation. Originally called the European Federation of Gymnastics, it had three member countries—Belgium, France and the Netherlands—until 1921, when non-European countries were admitted and it received its current name.
Gymnastics World Championships refers to a number of different world championships for each of the disciplines in competitive gymnastics. The International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) organizes World Championships for six disciplines: acrobatic gymnastics, aerobic gymnastics, artistic gymnastics, parkour, rhythmic gymnastics, as well as trampoline and tumbling. The International Federation of Aesthetic Group Gymnastics (IFAGG) organizes World Championships for the sport of aesthetic group gymnastics.
Natalia Vladimirovna Yurchenko is a retired Soviet artistic gymnast, who won the women's all-around gold medal at the 1983 World Championships. Renowned for her innovative and daring gymnastics, she is best known as the originator of the Yurchenko vault family, which is a round-off back handspring entry onto the vault, and then performing a series of twists and flips off.
United States of America Gymnastics is the national governing body for gymnastics in the United States. Established in 1963 as the U.S. Gymnastics Federation (USGF), USA Gymnastics selects and trains the men's and women's national teams for the Olympic Games and World Championships. USAG sets the rules and policies that govern the sport of gymnastics, promotes the sport at all levels, and serves as a resource center for members, clubs, fans and gymnasts.
Mallakhamba, or mallakhamb is a traditional sport, originating from the Indian subcontinent, in which a group of gymnasts perform aerial yoga and gymnastic postures using wrestling grips in concert with a stationary vertical pole. The word "mallakhamb" also refers to the pole used in the sport. The pole is usually made from sheesham polished with castor oil. Other popular versions of mallakhamba are practiced using a cane or a rope instead of a pole. The origins of pole dancing can be traced back to the sport of mallakhamba.
This is a general glossary of the terms used in the sport of gymnastics.
The European Men's Artistic Gymnastics Championships are an annual series of artistic gymnastics championships for male gymnasts from European countries organised by the European Union of Gymnastics. They take place in two biennial formats; in even years they take place in tandem with a junior men's competition, and historically have included a team event, but not an individual all-around. In odd years, they are held in tandem with the European Women's Artistic Gymnastics Championships, and include a team competition. These events are sometimes called the European Individual Artistic Gymnastics Championships. Despite the alternating formats, all winners are considered European champions with one medal table.
Aesthetic group gymnastics (AGG) is a discipline of gymnastics developed from Finnish "Women's Gymnastics" (naisvoimistelu). The discipline is reminiscent of rhythmic gymnastics, with some significant differences: in AGG, the emphasis is on big and continuous body movement, and the teams are larger. AGG teams often consist of 6–10 gymnasts, and some children’s teams are bigger. Furthermore, apparatus is not used in international AGG competitions as it is in rhythmic gymnastics where balls, ribbons, hoops and clubs are used on the floor area. The sport requires physical qualities such as flexibility, balance, speed, strength, coordination and sense of rhythm where movements of the body are emphasized in the flow and, expressive and aesthetic appeal. A good performance is characterized by uniformity and simultaneity. The competition program consists of versatile and varied body movements, such as body waves and swings, balances and pivots, jumps and leaps, dance steps, and lifts.
Angelina Romanovna Melnikova is a Russian artistic gymnast. With eleven Olympic and World medals, she is the joint third-most decorated Russian gymnast of all time. At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, she led the Russian Olympic Committee to gold in the team competition. She previously represented Russia at the 2016 Summer Olympics, winning a silver medal in the team competition. She was also a member of the gold medal-winning Russian teams at the 2016 and 2018 European Championships, and the silver medal-winning Russian teams at the 2018 and 2019 World Championships.
Dipa Karmakar is an Indian Gymnast from Tripura State. She is the first female gymnast from India to compete in the Olympics. At the 2016 Summer Olympics, in the vault event final, she finished in 4th place.
Sanne Wevers is a Dutch artistic gymnast. She is the 2016 Olympic champion on the balance beam and was the first Dutch female gymnast to become an Olympic champion in an individual event. She is the 2018 and 2023 European champion on the balance beam. She is also the 2015 World and 2021 European silver medalist on the balance beam and the 2015 European bronze medalist on the uneven bars. She was a member of the Dutch team that won the bronze medal at the 2018 and 2023 European Championships.
The Russia women's national artistic gymnastics team represents Russia in FIG international competitions. Additionally, they have competed as the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) and the Russian Gymnastics Federation (RGF) due to the World Anti-Doping Agency imposing sanctions on Russia in the aftermath of the doping scandal. While competing under the Russian Olympic Committee designation, they won the gold medal at the 2020 Olympic Games. They also won the team gold medal at the 2010 World Championships and at the inaugural Junior World Championships in 2019.
Pauline Sieglinde Schäfer-Betz or Pauline Schäfer is a German artistic gymnast who represented Germany at the 2016 and 2020 Olympic Games. She is the 2017 World Champion, the 2021 World silver medalist, and the 2015 World bronze medalist on the balance beam. She was part of the bronze medal-winning German team at the 2022 European Championships. She will represent Germany at the 2024 Summer Olympics.
Andrei Vasile Muntean is a Romanian artistic gymnast. He represented Romania at the 2016 Summer Olympics and placed sixth on the parallel bars. He is the 2017 World University Games vault bronze medalist. He has competed at the World Championships eight times, and he will represent Romania at the 2024 Summer Olympics.
Pooja Surve is an Indian individual rhythmic gymnast. She represents India at international competitions. She competed at world championships, including at the 2009 World Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships, Japan. In 2010, she was the only gymnast from India to be in the top 16 at the 2010 Commonwealth Games; she won Miss Exotic Performance award in World Cup Belarus 2010, becoming the first Indian to ever get this award; and she also participated in the 2010 World Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships, held in Moscow.
Maellyse Brassart is a Belgian artistic gymnast. She represented Belgium at the 2020 Summer Olympics and has qualified to compete at the 2024 Summer Olympics. She has competed at five World Championships.
Samir Aït Saïd is a French artistic gymnast. He is the 2019 World bronze medalist and the 2013 European champion on the still rings. He is also a three-time European silver medalist and a two-time European bronze medalist. He represented France at the 2016 and 2020 Summer Olympics, and he has qualified to compete at the 2024 Summer Olympics. He was one of France's flagbearers at the 2020 Summer Olympics opening ceremony.
Junior World Gymnastics Championships refers to a number of different World Championships in four disciplines recognized by the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) in competitive gymnastics: acrobatic gymnastics, men's and women's artistic gymnastics, and rhythmic gymnastics.
Ryu Sung-hyun is a South Korean artistic gymnast. He is the 2019 Junior World champion on the floor exercise. He represented South Korea at the 2020 Summer Olympics and placed fourth in the floor exercise final. He won two bronze medals at the 2021 Summer World University Games. He has qualified to compete at the 2024 Summer Olympics through the 2024 FIG World Cup series.
Illia Yuriiovych Kovtun is a Ukrainian artistic gymnast who competed at the 2020 Olympic Games. He is the 2023 World all-around silver medalist and 2021 World all-around bronze medalist. At the European Championships he is the 2023 European champion on parallel bars as well as a one-time silver medalist and a three-time bronze medalist. Additionally he is a two-time junior world championships medalist.
