Sports gymnasts in the Olympic lineup. Gymnastics in the Olympic Games

We got to gymnastics. Also subjective. Even too subjective. I remember watching poor Nemov live, who had to calm down the raging hall, outraged by the low marks of the judges. Since I do not understand anything in gymnastic technique, I will not dispute the decision of the judges. Although I really want to be indignant sometimes. I love to watch. I always root only for the Russians.

GYMNASTICS(Greek gymnastike, from gymnazo - exercise, train), one of the oldest sports, which includes competitions on various gymnastic apparatus, as well as in floor exercises and vaults.

In the program of the Olympic Games since 1896. Since 1928, women have participated in the Olympic Games.

Gymnastics is the technical basis for many sports, and the corresponding exercises are included in the training program for representatives of various sports disciplines.

Gymnastic exercises were part of the physical education system in ancient Greece, they served as a means of preparing young men for participation in the Olympic Games. From the end of the 18th to the beginning of the 19th century, exercises on gymnastic apparatus and vaults were used in Western European and Russian systems of physical education. In the 2nd half of the 19th century, competitions in some types of gymnastic exercises began to be held in a number of Western European countries. The first competitions in Russia took place in 1885 in Moscow.

The gymnastic program of the very first Games of our time (1896) was somewhat different from the current Olympics. 18 gymnasts, representing 5 countries in Athens, competed in certain types of all-around: not only in our usual exercises (with the exception of freestyle), but also in group exercises on parallel bars and a crossbar and in rope climbing. The dominance of the founders of gymnastics - the Germans - in all types of the program was practically undivided.

The first absolute champion of the Olympic Games in artistic gymnastics in 1900 was French Gustave Sandra. Championship among teams and in certain types of all-around at the Olympics in Paris was not played out.

At the 1904 Games, another unusual discipline appeared in the gymnastics competition program: exercises with clubs. As you know, the overwhelming majority of the participants in the St. Louis Olympics were from the United States. So the unconditional success of the Americans on the gymnastic platform was quite predictable.

At the next two Olympics, there was no equal to the Italian Alberto Bralha. At the 1912 Games, he added to his title of undisputed champion the "gold" won in the Italian national team in the team competition.

Competitions in certain types of gymnastic all-around reappeared in the Olympic program after the First World War - at the 1924 Games.

Four years later, women took part in the Olympic gymnastics tournament for the first time. True, the gymnasts missed the next Olympics again - and only from 1936 they began to participate in them constantly. It is noteworthy that the program of the 1936 Olympic tournament in women's gymnastics also included exercises on parallel bars. And at the Olympics-48, women performed compulsory exercises on the rings. At one time, the program of the Olympic women's gymnastics tournament also included group exercises with various objects (club, ball, etc.), which later became an integral part of rhythmic gymnastics. At the 1952 Games, a significant change was made to the formula for women's gymnastics competitions: for the first time, female athletes performed in the individual competition (on four apparatus). In its current form, the Olympic program in women's gymnastics was finally determined in 1960 (Men have been playing awards according to the 6 + 1 + 1 scheme since 1936).

In the team event in the history of Olympic gymnastics tournaments, there has never been and has no equal for the USSR women's national team, which has climbed to the highest step of the podium 10 times. In men, the teams of the USSR and Japan won more often than others - 5 times each. The Italian men's team celebrated the victory four times - however, this was before the Second World War.

The title of absolute champion of the Olympic Games is considered the highest title in artistic gymnastics. Outstanding Soviet gymnast Larisa Latynina has achieved a unique achievement. In her collection there are 18 Olympic awards (of which 9 are gold: 6 were won in individual and 3 in team competitions). None of the Olympians have yet succeeded in repeating, and even more so, surpassing this record. Czech gymnast Vera Chaslavska (Odlozhikova) won 7 gold medals (all of them individually). The same amount of "gold" (as well as 5 silver and 3 bronze medals) in the collection of Nikolai Andrianov's awards. (Andrianov and Latynina are two of the most titled athletes in the history of world gymnastics.) Our other gymnast, Alexander Dityatin, at the 1980 Olympics set another kind of record, having won 8 - out of 8 possible - awards: in the team competition, in the "absolute" and in individual types of all-around (3 gold, 4 silver and 1 bronze medals).

Vitaly Shcherbo completed the “Soviet era” worthily in Olympic gymnastics: speaking at the Games-92 as part of the united team of the CIS countries, he won 6 gold medals.

The current "stars" of national gymnastics continue the victorious relay race of their predecessors in the international arena. A. Nemov became the absolute champion of the Olympic Games in Sydney-2000, and also won "gold" in exercises on the crossbar. S. Khorkina is an absolute world champion (twice) and Europe (three times), her collection also includes Olympic and world “gold” on separate shells. N. Kryukov is the absolute world champion, A. Bondarenko is the absolute champion of Europe. E. Zamolodchikova - the winner (in certain types of the program) of the World Championships and the Olympic Games.

Artistic gymnastics is invariably included in the program of the Olympic Games, occupying one of the central places in it.

True, the gymnastic program of the very first Games of our time (1896) was somewhat different from the current Olympics. 18 gymnasts, representing 5 countries in Athens, competed in certain types of all-around: not only in our usual exercises (with the exception of freestyle), but also in group exercises on parallel bars and a crossbar and in rope climbing. The dominance of the founders of gymnastics - the Germans - in all types of the program was practically undivided.

Competitions in certain types of gymnastic all-around reappeared in the Olympic program after the First World War - at the 1924 Games.

Vitaly Shcherbo completed the “Soviet era” worthily in Olympic gymnastics: speaking at the Games-92 as part of the united team of the CIS countries, he won 6 gold medals.

Gymnastics in Russia

The original system of physical education, which has developed since ancient times in Russia, contained many different exercises of a gymnastic nature. The ideas of a comprehensive, including physical, education, which had a great influence on public opinion, were contained in the views of the commander A.V. Suvorov (1799-1880), teacher K.D. Ushinsky (1824-1876). Gymnastics itself, as a means of physical education, was established only at the end of the 18th century, when in 1774, by order of Catherine II, it was included in the training program in the Sukhomlin cadet corps.

In the 30s. XIX century. gymnastics was introduced into the training of the guard troops, and in the 50s. and the entire Russian army, in the programs of secondary educational institutions. In 1855, a gymnastics and fencing hall was opened in St. Petersburg, where officers, and for a fee, everyone who wanted to, could do gymnastics. The military department organized a number of courses ("cadres") that trained gymnastics teachers for the army, who were given the right to teach gymnastics in educational institutions: gymnasiums and real schools.

Also in 1875, the War Department sent a scientist-anatomist, doctor and teacher, Professor P.F. Lesgaft, known for his work in the field of physical education, to the countries of Western Europe to study the experience of teaching gymnastics. The result of the trip was the development and substantiation of the national scientific system of gymnastics, its introduction into the practice of physical education.

In 1896 Lesgaft opened in St. Petersburg two-year courses for gymnastics leaders, on the basis of which in 1918 the Institute of Physical Culture was created, bearing his name.

The formation of artistic gymnastics in Russia is associated with the creation in the 70s. gymnastic societies. True, their organization was not immediately permitted. In 1863, the military governor-general of St. Petersburg, Count Suvorov (the namesake of the famous commander) turned to the Ministry of Internal Affairs with a request to approve the draft charter of the city gymnastic society. The Minister did not dare to make a decision on his own and submitted a request to the Committee of Ministers, which expressed the following opinion on this issue: dangerous directions, the Committee believes: leave the petition for the establishment of a gymnastic society without consequences. " The opinion of the dignitaries was reported to Tsar Alexander II, and on December 13, 1863, he imposed a resolution: "It is efficient, and for my part I do not allow them under any circumstances."

This resolution has long been a bogeyman with the help of which numerous requests for the organization of gymnastic societies were rejected.

However, artistic gymnastics still made its way into life and everyday life. In the German club "Palma", founded in St. Petersburg in 1863, there was a gymnastics club. In 1870, the Germans living in patriarchal Moscow were allowed to organize the "Society of Gymnasts in Moscow", which was called in everyday life "German". It, however, being closed to persons of non-German origin, did not leave noticeable traces of its activities.

By the end of the 70s. XIX century. in Russian society, a negative attitude towards everything German was outlined, and an initiative group of Muscovites headed by the superintendent of one of the shipping companies O. Seletsky in 1881 was allowed to organize, as opposed to the German, "Russian Gymnastic Society". Among its founders were the Chekhov brothers: Nikolai - a famous artist and Anton - a future writer, as well as a journalist and writer, the first Russian sports reporter Vladimir Gilyarovsky, who in the 90s. was even the chairman of the Council of the society.

The formation of national artistic gymnastics is connected with the activities of the Russian Gymnastics Society. It was it that, on December 16, 1885, held the first gymnastics competition in Russia. True, only 11 people took part in them, but the winners - M. Kister and A. Teikhman - were determined.

At the beginning of 1897, on the basis of the St. Petersburg circle of athletic amateurs, organized by the doctor V. Kraenvsky back in 1885, the "St. Petersburg Athletic Society" was founded. Already in April 1897 the Society held the first championship of Russia, the program of which included competitions in weight lifting, gymnastics, wrestling, boxing, fencing, and later shooting. The right to hold championships, and they became annual from 1897 and continued until 1915, the Society received, apparently, because it fell under the tutelage of the brother of the Tsar "His Imperial Highness, Grand Duke" Vladimir Alexandrovich, and the chairman of its council was Count G. Ribopierre.

The first absolute champion of Russia in 1887 was F. Krebs from St. Petersburg. Unfortunately, very scant information has been preserved in the press about the Russian championships. However, the names of the champions have been known for a number of years. These are: Inge, Dutzman, Sokolovsky, Potesta, Temminen, Waterkampf, Kara-Murza. In 1915 Kuzmin became the champion in the all-around. Then the competition was stopped due to the First World War.

Mainly St. Petersburgers took part in the championships. Travel to St. Petersburg and back in a second class carriage was paid only by those who received medals.

There were also funny incidents at the championships. So in 1900, when one of the participants jumped off the crossbar, the floor fell through. The participant was not injured, but the competition had to be stopped. In 1903, the administration of the hall, fearing that the floor would again fail, did not allow gymnasts to compete in vaults. In protest, they refused to participate in the competition.

By the end of the XIX - beginning of the XX centuries. gymnastic societies are being created in many cities of Russia. A powerful impetus for their organization was the "Provisional Rules for Societies and Unions" announced by the government in March 1890. According to them, the right to authorize the organization of gymnastic societies was received by local governors. The Sokol system of gymnastics is widely spread. Sokolsk circles, thanks to the efforts of General V.N. Voeikov, who was appointed chief overseeing physical education in Russia, are being opened in almost all cities, in secondary and higher educational institutions. Their participants - "falcons" - in 1907 and in 1912. participate in the Sokol rallies in Prague, which hosted gymnastics competitions.

In 1912 a team of Russian gymnasts - F. Zabelin, F. Yasnov, S. Kulikov, A. Akhun and P. Kushnikov - participated in the V Olympic Games in Stockholm (Sweden), but did not show high results.

In August 1913, the 1st Russian Olympiad was held in Kiev. The gymnasts competed in the team (only two teams participated) and in the individual championships. The winner was the team of the Main Officer Gymnastics and Fencing School, opened in 1909 in St. Petersburg, and its leader, K. Waterkampf.

In 1914, Russian athletes gathered in Riga for their second Olympiad, but because of the outbreak of World War I, the Olympics were not over.

Here are the absolute champions in artistic gymnastics over the past 30 years.

Alexander Dityatin

Alexander Nikolaevich was born in Leningrad on August 7, 1957. He is a three-time Olympic champion, seven-time world champion, one of the best gymnasts of all time. Honored Master of Sports of the USSR.

Seven-time world champion in 1979 and 1981. Two-time European champion in 1979. Multiple champion of the Spartakiad of the peoples of the USSR. The only gymnast in the world to have medals in all evaluated exercises at one Games: at the Moscow Olympics in 1980, he won 3 gold, 4 silver and 1 bronze medals. With this result, he entered the Guinness Book of Records. He played for Dynamo Leningrad.

But three years later, shortly after the Moscow Olympics, he received a ridiculous but severe injury - an ankle dislocation. Alexander continued to perform for some time and even won awards at major international competitions. In November 1981, Dityatin went (already as a captain) to the platform of the next world championship, which was held in Moscow, in the Olympic sports complex. Alexander said: "I will do everything for the team to win." And did. The Soviet team again became the best in the world, and Dityatin himself won 2 more gold medals - in exercises on rings and on uneven bars. After completing his career as an athlete, he became a coach, having worked until 1995.

Koji Gushiken

Japanese gymnast, Olympic champion and world champion, born November 12, 1956 in Osaka, graduated from the Japan University of Physical Education. In 1979 he won silver and bronze medals at the World Championship. In 1980, due to a boycott organized by Western countries, he could not take part in the Olympic Games in Moscow, but in 1981 at the World Championships held in Moscow he won gold, silver and two bronze medals.

At the 1983 World Championships, he won gold, silver and bronze medals. In 1984, at the Olympic Games in Los Angeles, he won two gold, silver and two bronze medals. In 1985 he won a bronze medal at the World Championship; in the same year he announced the end of his sports career.

Vladimir Artyomov

Vladimir Nikolaevich was born in Vladimir on December 7, 1964. He is a four-time Olympic champion and one of the best gymnasts of all time. Honored Master of Sports of the USSR. Graduated from the Vladimir State Pedagogical Institute, where he later taught. He played for the local VDFSO trade unions "Burevestnik".

World champion in the team championship (1985, 1987 and 1989), in exercises on uneven bars (1983, 1987 and 1989), silver medalist in all-around (1985), in the team championship (1983), in floor exercises (1987 and 1989), in exercises on the bar (1989). Absolute champion of the USSR (1984). In 1990 he left for the USA, where he currently lives in Pennsylvania.

Vitaly Shcherbo

Vitaly was born in Minsk on January 13, 1972. He is a six-time Olympic champion in 1992 (the only non-swimmer in history to win 6 gold medals at one Games), one of the best gymnasts of all time (the only man who became world champion in all 8 disciplines - individual and team championships, as well as all 6 shells). Honored Master of Sports of the USSR, Honored Master of Sports of the Republic of Belarus.

Shcherbo ended his sports career in 1997 after a broken arm resulting from a fall from a motorcycle. Currently, Vitaly lives in Las Vegas, where he opened his own gym "Vitaly Scherbo School of Gymnastics"

Li Xiaoshuang

His name in translation means "the youngest of the pair" - he is the younger twin brother of another Chinese gymnast - Li Dashuang. The brothers were born on November 1, 1973 in Xiantao, Hubei Province.

At the age of 6 he began to practice gymnastics, in 1983 he joined the provincial team, in 1985 - the national team, then due to an injury he returned to the provincial team, in 1988 he entered the national team again, then returned to the provincial team again. and in 1989 he became a member of the national team for the third time.

In 1992, at the Olympic Games in Barcelona, he won a gold medal in floor exercise and a bronze medal in ring exercises (as well as a silver medal in the team). In 1994, at the Asian Games, he won gold medals in floor exercises and all-around, silver - in exercises on rings, bronze - in exercises on horseback and on uneven bars (as well as gold - as part of a team); in addition, in 1994, Li Xiaoshuang won the gold medal of the World Team Championship and the silver (in the vault) individual World Championship. In 1995, he won the gold medal at the World Championships in the all-around, and the silver medal in the floor exercise (as well as the gold medal as part of the team). In 1996, at the Atlanta Olympics, Li Xiaoshuang won a gold medal in the all-around and a silver medal in the floor exercise (as well as a silver medal in the team). In 1997 he completed his sports career.

Alexey Nemov

Aleksey Yuryevich Nemov - Russian gymnast, 4-time Olympic champion, reserve colonel of the RF Armed Forces, editor-in-chief of the Bolshoi Sport magazine, was born on May 28, 1976 in Mordovia.

At the age of five, Alexei began to engage in artistic gymnastics at a specialized children's and youth school of the Olympic reserve of the Volga Automobile Plant in the city of Togliatti. He studied at the 76th school.

Alexey Nemov won his first victory in 1989 at the USSR youth championship. After a successful start, almost every year he began to achieve outstanding results. In 1990, Alexei Nemov became the winner in certain types of all-around at the Spartakiad of student youth of the USSR. In 1990-1993, he was a repeated participant in international competitions and a winner both in individual types of the program and in the absolute championship.

In 1993, Nemov won the victory at the RSFSR Cup in the all-around, and at the international meeting "Stars of the World 94" he became the bronze medalist in the all-around. A year later, Alexei Nemov wins the Russian championship, becomes a four-time champion of the Goodwill Games in St. Petersburg and receives three gold and one silver medals at the European Championships in Italy.

At the XXVI Olympic Games in Atlanta (USA), Alexei Nemov becomes a two-time Olympic champion, receives two gold, one silver and three bronze medals. In 1997, he won the gold medal at the World Championships in Switzerland. In 2000, Alexei Nemov won the World and European Championships, became the winner of the World Cup. At the XXVII Olympic Games in Sydney (Australia), Aleksey became the absolute champion, having won six Olympic medals: two gold, one silver and three bronze.

Nemov arrived at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens in the rank of a clear favorite and leader of the Russian national team, despite the injury he received before the competition, showing a high class, confidence in execution and the complexity of the programs. However, his performance on the crossbar with the most complex elements (including 6 flights, including a bunch of three flights by Tkachev and Ginger's flight) was overshadowed by a scandal. The judges gave clearly underestimated marks (especially the judge from Malaysia, who gave only 9.6 points), the average was 9.725. After that, the indignant spectators in the hall, standing for 15 minutes, incessantly shouting, roaring and whistling, protested against the decision of the judges and supported the athlete with ovations, not allowing the next athlete to enter the platform. Confused judges and the FIG technical committee for the first time in the history of gymnastics changed their marks, setting the average slightly higher - 9.762, but still depriving Nemov of the medal. The audience continued to be indignant and stopped the protests only when Alexei himself came out and asked the audience to calm down. After this incident, some judges were removed from judging, an official apology was brought to the athlete, and revolutionary changes were made to the rules (in addition to the score for technique, a score for complexity was introduced, which took into account each element separately, as well as the connections between individual complex elements).

Here is this scandalous case:

Paul Hamm

Paul Elbert Hamm was born on September 24, 1982 in Waukeshaw, Wisconsin, USA.

Olympic champion and two-time Olympic medalist. Two-time world champion and three-time world championship medalist.

Hamm became the first US gymnast to win an Olympic gold medal in the overall championship. However, that success of the American at the Games in Athens was overshadowed by a referee scandal. The fact is that the gymnast from South Korea Yang Tae Yun, who was leading in the Olympic competitions, was unfairly underestimated for performing on the uneven bars. The referees' mistake was recognized, but the results of the competition were not revised.

Yang Wei

Yang Wei was born on February 8, 1980 in Xiantao, Hubei Province. Yang is a Chinese gymnast, multiple world champion and Olympic champion.

On August 14, 2008, Yang Wei won gold at the Beijing Olympics with 94.575 points. After completing his speech, he shouted into the camera lens: "I miss you!" He addressed these words to his fiancee, former gymnast Yang Yun. After the 2008 Olympic Games, Yang Wei ended his sports career and he wanted to present the gold medal to his bride as a gift.

Unfortunately, there is very little information about Yan Vey in the Russian Internet. If there are experts in artistic gymnastics among the readers, we will be grateful for the addition.

Kohei was born on January 3, 1989 in Kitakyushu, Fukuoka, Japan. He is the 2012 Olympic champion in the overall championship, a four-time Olympic vice-champion, and a seven-time world champion.

He is famous for becoming the first gymnast to win the all-around at all major events in one Olympic cycle, including the all-around at the Olympics. He also became famous for performing complex exercises with incredible precision. His skills were rated by the International Gymnast Magazine as "a combination of great complexity, consistency and extreme elegance in execution."

In October 2014, Uchimura, competing at the World Championships in Nanning, China, once again beat his rivals in the men's all-around with a score of 91.965, ahead of his closest pursuer Max Whitlock by 1.492 points. Kohei sets a new personal record - five-time undisputed world champion in the men's all-around. Uchimura also wins two silver medals: in the team all-around final, and in a separate form of gymnastic all-around - on the bar.

Read on Zozhnik:

Artistic gymnastics is invariably included in the program of the Olympic Games, occupying one of the central places in it.

Competitions in certain types of gymnastic all-around reappeared in the Olympic program after the First World War - at the 1924 Games.

The title of absolute champion of the Olympic Games is considered the highest title in artistic gymnastics. Outstanding Soviet gymnast Larisa Latynina has achieved a unique achievement. In her collection there are 18 Olympic awards (of which 9 are gold: 6 were won in individual and 3 in team competitions). None of the Olympians have yet succeeded in repeating, and even more so, surpassing this record. Czech gymnast Vera Chaslavska (Odlozhikova) won 7 gold medals (all of them individually). The same amount of "gold" (as well as 5 silver and 3 bronze medals) in the collection of Nikolai Andrianov's awards. (Andrianov and Latynina are two of the most titled athletes in the history of world gymnastics.) Our other gymnast, Alexander Dityatin, at the 1980 Olympics set another kind of record, having won 8 - out of 8 possible - awards: in the team competition, in the absolute and in individual types of all-around (3 gold, 4 silver and 1 bronze medals).

Vitaly Shcherbo completed the “Soviet era” worthily in Olympic gymnastics: speaking at the Games-92 as part of the united team of the CIS countries, he won 6 gold medals.

Gymnastics in Russia

In 1896 Lesgaft opened in St. Petersburg two-year courses for gymnastics leaders, on the basis of which in 1918 the Institute of Physical Culture was created, bearing his name.

This resolution has long been a bogeyman with the help of which numerous requests for the organization of gymnastic societies were rejected.

Mainly St. Petersburgers took part in the championships. Travel to St. Petersburg and back in a second class carriage was paid only by those who received medals.

In 1912 a team of Russian gymnasts - F. Zabelin, F. Yasnov, S. Kulikov, A. Akhun and P. Kushnikov - participated in the V Olympic Games in Stockholm (Sweden), but did not show high results.

In 1914, Russian athletes gathered in Riga for their second Olympiad, but because of the outbreak of World War I, the Olympics were not over.

Gymnastics in our time

In our time, gymnastics has firmly entered the system of physical education of people and occupies an important place in it. It is popular for its affordability. Along with the complex, even very complex, exercises that are in modern artistic gymnastics, it has a wide variety of simple exercises that are quite accessible to any person, regardless of age and gender. It is difficult to overestimate the importance of gymnastics, which, along with the main means of physical education, such as games, sports, tourism, is designed to promote health, harden the body, educate a person's moral and volitional qualities, and restore his physical and spiritual capabilities.

Gymnastics has become a truly popular means of physical education today. In our country, millions of people do gymnastics every day. Gymnastics occupies an important place in the programs of physical education of higher and secondary educational institutions, physical culture collectives and voluntary sports societies, hundreds of thousands of children, boys and girls are regularly engaged in sports acrobatics, sports and rhythmic gymnastics.

Gymnastics is used as a means of treatment in medicine, it is used as a means of health improvement in rest homes, sanatoriums. In recent years, athletic gymnastics has been very popular in our country. Applied professional gymnastics is becoming more widespread.

“The tasks of gymnastics are determined by the general goal of education, which is to form a new person who harmoniously combines spiritual wealth, moral purity and physical perfection.

1. Wellness objectives: health promotion; development of individual muscle groups and the entire muscular system: elimination and prevention of functional deviations in individual organs and systems of the body; development of correct posture, gait; general development and strengthening of the respiratory system and the work of the cardiovascular system, improving metabolism and increasing the vital activity of the body.

2. Educational tasks: to promote all-round harmonious physical development, education of strength, flexibility, endurance, speed, agility, coordination and expressiveness of movements; to equip students with knowledge, skills and abilities necessary in everyday life, work.

3. Educational tasks: the formation of collectivism, discipline; education of moral qualities: courage, decisiveness, purposefulness, perseverance, perseverance, endurance, orientation, initiative ”.

Similar information.

Today, the deafening victories of Russian gymnasts in all kinds of competitions are familiar to contemporaries. But even 30 years ago, these achievements did not exist at the Olympic Games. History at the Olympics, in that flawless and victorious form, began not so long ago.

Olympic history of rhythmic gymnastics

Rhythmic gymnastics as a form of competition came to the Olympics only in 1984. The decision to admit this sport to the Olympic tournaments was made at the congress held after the 1980 Olympics. 1984 became the starting point for the Olympic competitions in rhythmic gymnastics, where only women's teams take part. However, the USSR national team did not take part in these debut competitions - the Union announced a boycott and refused to participate in this Olympics. It was a retaliation for the US boycott at the 1980 Olympics.

The very first Olympic champion in rhythmic gymnastics was the Canadian athlete Laurie Fang. Of course, without the participation of Soviet athletes, other countries of the world had significant chances of winning. But, having refused to participate in the games at the Olympics-84, many countries united and created an alternative tournament. Here gymnasts from Bulgaria excelled in rhythmic gymnastics.

Golden time of Bulgarian gymnasts

The unofficial games of the Soviet countries were held in Sofia, and then two Bulgarian gymnasts received the highest award. The debut performance of the USSR national rhythmic gymnastics team was marked by the second place.

Marina Lobach went down in history as the first Soviet Olympic champion in rhythmic gymnastics.

At the 1988 Olympics, the fight for the championship in gymnastics was already much more serious. The bets were placed on the brilliant performance of the Bulgarian athletes in the past, but the girls from the USSR national team did not plan to retreat and were perfectly prepared. The final fight between the two Bulgarians and the girls from the USSR was brilliant, but Marina Lobach flawlessly completed the qualification test program, so it was she who got the gold. And so the triumphal procession of Russian gymnasts on the Olympic pedestals began.

The victory at the Olympic Games-88 for the gymnasts of the Soviet Union was final. After the collapse of the USSR, a team formed from gymnasts from the CIS countries went to the 1992 Olympic Games. The national team included Alexandra Timoshenko and Oksana Skaldina, both girls were from Ukraine. The gold medal of those games went to Alexandra, and the silver went to Spain.

Summer games in 1996 were not so victorious for the Russian national team. The speakers of Yana Batyrshin amazed the audience and the jury with their new elements and general approach to the performance. But Yana was able to get only silver in the individual all-around. In the group performance, Russia was awarded bronze. This alignment only spurred the coach Irina Viner and the athletes, and at the next Olympics Russia becomes the owner of the gold medal.

Viner, Zaripova, Kabaeva, Batyrshina at competitions in Japan. 1997 year

The 2000 Sydney Olympics became "golden" for Yulia Barsukova, but Alina Kabaeva became the unanimous star of the games in the opinion of journalists. It is she who will get the gold medal at the next Olympic competitions. In 2004, the national team will take home 2 medals in total - they will deserve silver in these competitions.

Olympic champions

In 2008, the sports world meets a unique Russian gymnast - Evgenia Kanaeva. The winners of the Beijing Games were Anna Bessonova, who took first place, and took home the bronze. Returning to Moscow, the girls worked even more intensively, preparing for new Olympic heights. The next Olympics, held in London in 2012, left no chances for victory for gymnasts from other countries. Both the highest awards - both gold and silver medals in the individual all-around went to Russia with their winners - Zhenya Kanaeva and Dasha Dmitrieva. She earned gold in group exercises from Ukraine. Two-time winner, Olympic champion of rhythmic gymnastics Evgenia Kanaeva almost ends her sports career at this point, but worthy athletes are already preparing to replace her.

The 2016 Rio Olympics made the Russian national team the absolute winner in both types of performances - both in the group and in the individual all-around, the girls took first places. The amazing exercises of Russia, which were demonstrated by the gymnasts, led to the final and Yana Kudryavtseva with a silver medal. And in the group all-around, the victory was not easy - the number with ribbons barely brought the Russian team to the TOP-3 according to estimates, which made all the fans nervous. But a little later, in a room with hoops and clubs, the athletes decisively took the lead, leaving no chance for other teams.

At the same Olympics, a new star of Russian gymnastics, Margarita Mamun, was lit on the sports horizon. According to the results of the competition, a young, 19-year-old girl won an unconditional victory in the individual all-around.

Undoubtedly, rhythmic gymnastics and Russia are almost inseparable concepts in the world of sports. Being the winners of all Olympic competitions, Russian gymnasts do not stop, winning more and more titles and titles in other tournaments. And many athletes in the standings on the basis of all their victories have titles with the prefixes "multiple", "absolute" or "record". This speaks of the phenomenal zeal and hard work of fragile but strong girls.