Although various forms of acrobatic trampolining have been around since ancient times, trampoline gymnastics didn't take off as an official sport until the 20th century after the first modern trampoline was invented. Trampolining quickly gained popularity and became an organized sport. However, it wasn't until the 21st century that trampoline gymnastics debuted as an Olympic sport. Since the 2000 Games in Sydney, trampoline gymnastics remains an official event of the Summer Olympic Games.
Modern Trampoline
The modern trampoline changed history for acrobatics. New fabric and materials made way for airborne gymnastics never realized before 1934 when inventors George Nissen and Larry Griswold built the first contemporary trampoline at the University of Iowa. The innovative trampoline was firstly used to train acrobats and astronauts, according to Olympic.org. Eventually, the new trampoline was used to train athletes for other sports, such as diving and freestyle skiing. Between 1947 and 1964, trampolining was included as an official event in the Amateur Athletic Union and the National Collegiate Athletic Association gymnastics competitions. Trampolining was first acknowledged as a stand-alone sport the U.S. in 1967. But it wasn't until 2000 that it was made an Olympic sport.
Sydney 2000 Olympic Games
In affiliation with the Federation Internationale de Gymnastique, trampoline gymnastics was introduced as an official Olympic sport during the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games with two events --- the individual men and the individual women competitions. Gold medal winners for the trampoline gymnastics events at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Sydney included Alexandre Moskalenko, representing the Russian Federation, for the men individual event and Irina Karavaeva, also representing the Russian Federation, for the woman individual event. Silver medal winners were Ji Wallace from Australia and Oxana Tsyhuleva of the Ukraine. Subsequent Olympic trampoline gymnastics events included the same performance requirements and judging criteria for the two events.
Performance Criteria
The men's and women's competitions require athletes to perform a series of 10 judged essentials, including numerous twists and somersaults. Some of the trampoline gymnastics elements performed include the Adolph, a front somersault with three and one-half twists; the Barani, a forward somersault and a half-twist; Quadriffis, or quadruple somersaults with a twist; and a Rudolf, or Rudy, a front somersault with one and one-half twist.
Athens 2004 Olympic Games
The Olympics returned to their birthplace for the 2004 Games --- Athens. In the trampoline event, Yuri Nikitin, representing the Ukraine, won a gold medal in the men individual event, and Anna Dogonadze, representing Germany, won a gold medal in the woman individual event. Alexander Moskalenko of the Russian Federation and Karen Cockburn of Canada won silver medals.
Beijing 2008 Olympic Games
In the trampoline event at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, the men individual gold medal winner was Lu Chunlong, representing China, and the woman individual gold medal winner was Wenna He, also representing China. Canadians Jason Burnett and Karen Cockburn won silver medals.
London 2012 Olympic Games
The individual men and individual women trampoline gymnastics competitions will also be included in the London 2012 Games. The London 2012 Games are scheduled to run through July 27 and Aug. 12, 2012 with the trampoline competitions in the North Greenwich Arena from Aug. 3 to 4.
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