Artistic Events for Women

II. GYMNASTICS

1. Look through the scheme of the Olympicgymnastics events

2. Study the words and word combinations for the topic:

3. Read and translate the text:

GYMNASTICS

Gymnastics is a sport involving the performance of exercises requiring flexibility, power, balance and coordination. It is one of the most graceful and artistic sports which develops human body harmoniously. The origin of gymnastics can be traced back to the ancient civilizations of China, Persia, India, Greece and Rome. The Germans rediscovered the discipline in the 18th century, and invented most of the apparatus. Gymnastics has been a part of the Olympic Games since the modern Olympics began in 1896 and remains one of the most popular sports in the world. Internationally, all events are governed by the FédérationInternationale de Gymnastique (FIG). Competitive artistic gymnastics is the best known of the gymnastic events. It typically involves the women’s events of vault, uneven bars, balance beam, and floor exercise. Men’s events are floor exercise, pommel horse, rings, vault, parallel bars and the high bar. Other FIG disciplines include: rhythmic gymnastics, trampolining and tumbling, acrobatic and aerobic gymnastics.

Artistic Events for Women

In the vaulting events, the female gymnast sprints down a 25-metre runway, jumps onto a springboard and vaults across the vaulting table. She may twist around in the air, do multiple somersaults, or perform twisting movements. Women gymnasts don’t have to land into the marked area as men gymnasts do.

In the uneven bars, the gymnast performs a routine on two horizontal bars set at different heights. These bars are made of fiberglass covered in wood laminate, to prevent them from breaking. The width and height of the bars may be adjusted to allow gymnasts to perform swinging, circling, transitional, and release moves, that may pass over, under, and between the two bars.

In the balance beam, the gymnast performs a routine of up to 90 seconds consisting of leaps, acrobatic skills, somersaults, turns and dance elements on a beam. The beam is 125cm from the ground, 500cm long, and 10cm wide. The event requires, in particular, balance, flexibility and strength.

The floor exercise event is executed on a 12m×12m square mat. Gymnasts perform a routine up to 90 seconds. They must choose a musical accompaniment. The routine should consist of tumbling lines, series of jumps, dance elements, acrobatic skills, and turns (or pivots) on one foot.