Olympic Events & Trampoline Facts

The trampoline event is a relative newcomer to the Summer Olympic Games, having made its debut at the Sydney games in 2000. Propelling gymnasts up to 30 feet in the air, the trampolines used in Olympic competitions are a far cry from the sort you would find in a family backyard. The Olympic trampoline event has a diverse history; in the three games it has existed gymnasts from Russia, Ukraine, China and Germany have won in the men's and women's events.

  1. History

    • The trampoline was invented by American George Nissen and built at the University of Iowa in the 1930s after he witnessed trapeze artists perform tricks after they fell into the safety netting beneath them. Trampolining grew in popularity in America before developing as a sport in its own right in Europe. In the year 2000, the trampoline became an official Olympic event.

    Introduction to the Olympic Games

    • The Sydney SuperDome played host to the first ever trampoline event. Competed across two categories --- men's and women's --- the gold medals were won by Alexander Moskalenko and Irina Karavaeva, both of Russia. Since its Olympic introduction, the trampoline event has remained unchanged and, as of July 2011, the event is set to continue across two categories.

    Format and Rules

    • The Olympic trampoline event has maintained the same rules and format since its 2000 inception. Competing athletes must be at least 18 years old and are looking to impress a panel consisting of nine judges, each from different countries --- five of these judges award points for execution, two rate the routine's degree of difficulty and the final two oversee the contest. According to the Daily Telegraph, the highest and lowest scores are subtracted from the overall total before the remaining scores are added together. The event is divided into two parts: qualifying and the final. Qualifying comprises a compulsory routine where gymnasts must perform a specific set of maneuvers and an optional routine where athletes must perform at least 10 recognizable maneuvers of their own choosing. The top eight scoring athletes from qualifying progress to the final, which is a single optional routine.

    Main Types of Maneuver

    • According to London2012, there are five main types of advanced maneuvers in the Olympic trampoline event: Adolph, Barani, Fliffus, Quadriffus and Rudolph. Each move involves at least one somersault combined with a twist, while the Quadriffus is regarded as one of the most difficult techniques as it involves four somersaults combined with at least half a twist.