Gymnastics
Tokyo Olympics: Gymnastics - A look at all the events and categories
Here we look at the list of all the events, categories and medal contenders in artistic gymnastics at the Tokyo Olympics.
Indian gymnast Pranati Nayak
The sport of gymnastics is a test of strength, agility, flexibility, and willpower. Originally allowing only men to participate, Artistic Gymnastics finally opened up to women from 1928 onwards when the Olympics were held in Amsterdam. There are a total of 10 events held out of which two are for men and women. Along with the individual events, there are also two events named Team and All Around that is for athletes competing in multiple events. Here is a list of all the events that are held for men and women.
Floor exercise
Competitors perform various moves on a specially prepared surface for a certain time period. The moves usually test the coordination, choreography, acrobatics, and sense of rhythm along with the music.
Medal contenders
Men: Carlos Yulo- Phillipines, Rayderley Zapata- Spain
Women: Simon Biles- USA, Jade Carey- USA, Vanessa Ferrari- Italy
Vault
This involves running at speed towards a spring, launching oneself over a vault, and performing a routine of flips with a perfect land. The entire move from start to finish is scored by the judges on the basis of the execution of movements.
Medal contenders
Men: Igor Radivilov- Ukraine, Loris Frasca- France
Women: Simon Biles- USA, Jade Carey-USA, Teja Belak- Slovakia
Indian Contender: Pranati Nayak
Horizontal Bars
A form of artistic gymnastics that involves gymnasts performing on a parallel bar that is held vertically above the floor at a certain height.
Medal contenders
Men: Epke Zonderland- Netherlands, Hidetaka Miyachi- Japan
Parallel Bars
Two bars that are put side by side upon which gymnasts perform a certain routine involving balancing, immense core strength and great technique while ending with a perfect landing.
Medal contenders
Men: Hao You- China, Vladislav Poliashov- Russia
Pommel Horse
This is a stationary gymnastics apparatus on which gymnasts perform routines holding on to two plastic handles in mid-air.
Medal contenders
Men: Hao Weng- China, Chih Lee- Chinese Taipei
Rings
The rings (still rings) are hung from a height and requires immense upper body and core strength. Gymnasts perform routines that involve stationary summersaults, balancing, and perfect landings upon completion.
Medal contenders
Men: Yang Liu- China, Eleftherios- Greece
Uneven Bars
A female-only category that entails two bars varying in height placed side by side. Gymnasts go from one bar to another and are gauged on their coordination, balancing, movements, and skills showed between swings.
Medal contenders
Women: Yilin Fan- China, Jiaqi Lyu- China
Balance Bars
Another woman-only event, the gymnasts are gauged on their routines, balancing, lack of errors, dance elements, acrobatic initiatives and their dismount.
Medal contenders
Women: Simon Biles- USA, Urara Ashikawa- Japan, Emma Nedov- Australia
