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Historical Facts about Gymnastics
- Gymnastics is a competitive sport in which individuals
perform optional and prescribed acrobatic feats mostly
on special apparatus in order to demonstrate strength,
balance, and body control.
- While gymnastics has existed for more than 2,000
years, it has only been considered a competitive sport
for a little more than 100 years.
- Gymnastics was first introduced to the United States
in the 1830’s.
- The first large-scale gymnastics meet was held in
the 1896 Olympics.
- Outside of the Olympics, the first large-scale international
gymnastics meet was held in 1903 in Antwerp, Belgium
in what is now considered the World Championships.
- Current track and field events including pole vault,
broad jump, shot put, rope climb, and the 100-meter
sprint were at one time considered gymnastics events.
- It wasn’t until the 1924 Olympics in Paris,
France that the first modern gymnastics competition
took place. Male gymnasts competed on each apparatus,
as well as in combined individual and team exercises.
- At the 1928 Olympic games, female gymnasts made
their debut, competing in the combined team exercise.
- The U.S. women first competed in the 1936 Olympic
Games in Berlin, Germany.
- USA Gymnastics is the governing body of the sport
in the United States.
Additional information can be found at the USA
Gymnastics site.
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