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Since 2000 Trampoline has been an Olympic sport. Where did
the sport of trampolining start? It can be traced back to Du Trampolin who
first experimented with propulsion and landing by using a circus
trampoline and then in early 1930's George Nissen designed a trampoline in
his garage to aid in his diving and tumbling activities. He then started
to entertain audiences with his trampoline demonstrations. During World
War 2, U.S. Naval pilots would train using trampolines and after the war,
Space Flight programmes used trampolines in training both American and
Soviet Astronauts to simulate body positions in flight. Trampolining has
been recognized for it's strength training.
In the U.S.A. and then in Europe; schools and colleges began holding
competitions for trampolining. In 1964 the first World Championship for
Trampoline was held in London. In 1958 England held the first televised
National Trampoline Championship. In the beginning the U.S.A. dominated
the World Championships but then lawsuits made it impossible for
educational institutions to continue the high level of performance
training necessary and the Americans loss their dominance.
The official definition of trampolining is: a competitive sport where
gymnasts perform acrobatics on a trampoline. The acrobatics may include
doing jumps in various positions including pike, straddle, and tuck or a
combination of forward and backward somersaults and twists. There are two
types of competitive rebound sports: synchronized trampoline and double
mini-trampoline.
In competitions routines consist of 10 different contacts with the
trampoline bed and the performer varies the twists, turns, and shapes of
his/her body. The take-off and landing may be in one of these four
positions: back front, feet or seat. The beginning of the routine must
always begin on the feet.
The Competitions:
There is the Individual trampoline competitions in which there are 3
routines, one of which is a compulsory skill set
The Synchronized trampoline - where two athletics perform the same routine
involving ten skills at the same time on side-by-side trampolines.
The Double mini-trampoline has a sloped end, flat bed trampoline (smaller
than regulation competition). The gymnasts run up, jump on the sloping end
and then jump on the flat part with skills being performed during the
jumps and before dismounting.
As of 1 January 1999, trampoline became a discipline of gymnastics at the
Olympic Games.
Trampoline gymnastics debuted at the Sydney 2000 Games featuring both
men's and women's individual events. The Russian Federation took home two
gold medals at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games as Alexander Moskalenko and
Irina Karavaeva were crowned with gold medals |
