Gymnastics at the Summer Olympics facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Gymnastics at the Summer Olympics
Governing body	FIG
Events	18 (men: 9; women: 9)
Games
1896 1900 1904 1908 1912 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020
Medalists

Gymnastics has been a part of almost every Summer Olympic Games since the modern Olympics began in 1896 in Athens. For a long time, only men competed. But at the 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam, women started competing in artistic gymnastics. Later, Rhythmic gymnastics was added at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, and trampoline events joined in at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney.

Gymnastics at the Olympics: A Quick Look

Gymnastics has been a key sport at the Summer Olympics for many years. It includes different types of gymnastics, like artistic, rhythmic, and trampoline. Each type has its own exciting events where athletes show off their strength, flexibility, and amazing skills.

How Many Events and Who Won?

Here's a quick summary of how many gymnastics events have been held at each Olympic Games and which country performed the best in gymnastics overall during those games.

Games	Year	Events	Best Nation
1	1896	8	Germany
2	1900	1	France
3	1904	11	United States
4	1908	2	Italy
5	1912	4	Italy
6	No Games
7	1920	4	Italy
8	1924	9	Switzerland
9	1928	8	Switzerland
10	1932	11	United States
11	1936	9 + 4	Germany
12	No Games
13	No Games
14	1948	9 + 4	Finland
15	1952	15	Soviet Union
16	1956	15	Soviet Union
17	1960	14	Soviet Union
18	1964	14	Japan
19	1968	14	Japan
20	1972	14	Soviet Union
21	1976	14	Soviet Union
22	1980	14	Soviet Union
23	1984	15	United States
24	1988	15	Soviet Union
25	1992	15	Unified Team
26	1996	16	Ukraine
27	2000	18	Russia
28	2004	18	Romania
29	2008	18	China
30	2012	18	China
31	2016	18	United States
32	2020	18	China

Artistic Gymnastics: Strength and Grace

Artistic gymnastics is probably what most people think of when they hear "gymnastics." It involves amazing routines on different pieces of equipment.

Men's Artistic Gymnastics Events

Men compete in six main events:

• Floor Exercise: Gymnasts perform a routine on a padded mat, showing off flips, twists, and strength moves.
• High Bar: Athletes swing and release from a high bar, performing daring aerial moves.
• Parallel bars: Gymnasts balance and swing on two parallel bars, showing strength and control.
• Pommel horse: This event requires incredible balance and upper body strength as gymnasts move around a horse-shaped apparatus with handles.
• Still Rings: Athletes perform strength holds and swings while hanging from two rings.
• Vault: Gymnasts run, jump onto a springboard, and perform a flip or twist over a vaulting table.

There are also team and individual all-around competitions, where gymnasts compete on all six pieces of equipment.

Women's Artistic Gymnastics Events

Women compete in four main events:

• Balance beam: Gymnasts perform a routine on a narrow beam, showing balance, flexibility, and acrobatic skills.
• Floor Exercise: Similar to men's, but often includes dance and more artistic elements.
• Uneven bars: Athletes perform swings, releases, and catches between two bars set at different heights.
• Vault: Gymnasts run, jump onto a springboard, and perform a flip or twist over a vaulting table.

Women also compete in team and individual all-around events, performing on all four pieces of equipment.

Artistic Gymnastics: Top Medal Winners

Here are the countries that have won the most medals in artistic gymnastics at the Olympics from 1896 to 2020.

Rank	Nation	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
1	Soviet Union (URS)	72	67	43	182
2	United States (USA)	37	43	37	117
3	Japan (JPN)	33	34	36	103
4	China (CHN)	29	21	19	69
5	Romania (ROU)	25	20	26	71
6	Switzerland (SUI)	16	19	14	49
7	Hungary (HUN)	15	11	14	40
8	Italy (ITA)	14	6	9	29
9	Germany (GER)	13	12	13	38
10	Czechoslovakia (TCH)	12	13	10	35
11	Russia (RUS)	10	15	19	44
12	Unified Team (EUN)	9	5	4	18
13	Finland (FIN)	8	5	12	25
14	East Germany (GDR)	6	13	17	36
15	Ukraine (UKR)	5	3	4	12
16	Greece (GRE)	5	3	3	11
17	Yugoslavia (YUG)	5	2	4	11
18	Sweden (SWE)	5	2	1	8
19	France (FRA)	3	10	9	22
20	Great Britain (GBR)	3	3	10	16
21	Netherlands (NED)	3	0	0	3
	North Korea (PRK)	3	0	0	3
23	South Korea (KOR)	2	4	5	11
24	Brazil (BRA)	2	3	1	6
25	Bulgaria (BUL)	2	2	6	10
26	Republic of China (ROC)	2	2	4	8
27	Spain (ESP)	2	2	1	5
28	Denmark (DEN)	1	2	1	4
	Norway (NOR)	1	2	1	4
30	Poland (POL)	1	1	2	4
31	Belgium (BEL)	1	1	1	3
	United Team of Germany (EUA)	1	1	1	3
33	Austria (AUT)	1	1	0	2
	Latvia (LAT)	1	1	0	2
35	Canada (CAN)	1	0	0	1
	Israel (ISR)	1	0	0	1
	Mixed team (ZZX)	1	0	0	1
38	Croatia (CRO)	0	2	0	2
39	Chinese Taipei (TPE)	0	1	0	1
40	Belarus (BLR)	0	0	4	4
41	Armenia (ARM)	0	0	1	1
	Turkey (TUR)	0	0	1	1
	Uzbekistan (UZB)	0	0	1	1
	West Germany (FRG)	0	0	1	1
Totals (44 entries)		351	332	335	1,018

Rhythmic Gymnastics: Dance and Props

Rhythmic gymnastics is a beautiful sport that combines dance, ballet, and gymnastics. Gymnasts perform routines with different hand-held equipment.

Rhythmic Gymnastics Events

Women compete in two main events:

• Individual All-Around: Gymnasts perform routines using four different pieces of equipment: a hoop, ball, clubs, and ribbon.
• Group All-Around: Teams of five gymnasts perform two routines together, often using a mix of hoops, balls, or ribbons.

Rhythmic Gymnastics: Top Medal Winners

Here are the countries that have won the most medals in rhythmic gymnastics at the Olympics from 1984 to 2020.

Rank	Nation	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
1	Russia (RUS)	10	4	2	16
2	Bulgaria (BUL)	1	2	2	5
3	Spain (ESP)	1	2	0	3
4	Ukraine (UKR)	1	0	4	5
5	Soviet Union (URS)	1	0	1	2
	Unified Team (EUN)	1	0	1	2
7	Canada (CAN)	1	0	0	1
	Israel (ISR)	1	0	0	1
9	Belarus (BLR)	0	4	3	7
10	Republic of China (ROC)	0	2	0	2
11	Italy (ITA)	0	1	2	3
12	China (CHN)	0	1	0	1
	Romania (ROM)	0	1	0	1
14	Greece (GRE)	0	0	1	1
	West Germany (FRG)	0	0	1	1
Totals (15 entries)		17	17	17	51

Trampoline Gymnastics: Bouncing High

Trampoline gymnastics is a newer Olympic sport, added in 2000. It's all about performing incredible flips and twists while bouncing high on a trampoline.

Trampoline Gymnastics Events

Both men and women compete in individual events:

• Men's Individual: Male gymnasts perform a routine of ten bounces, including different twists and somersaults.
• Women's Individual: Female gymnasts also perform a routine of ten bounces, showing off their aerial skills.

Trampoline Gymnastics: Top Medal Winners

Here are the countries that have won the most medals in trampoline gymnastics at the Olympics from 2000 to 2020.

Rank	Nation	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
1	China (CHN)	4	4	6	14
2	Canada (CAN)	2	3	2	7
3	Russia (RUS)	2	2	0	4
4	Belarus (BLR)	2	0	0	2
5	Ukraine (UKR)	1	1	0	2
6	Germany (GER)	1	0	1	2
7	Great Britain (GBR)	0	1	1	2
8	Australia (AUS)	0	1	0	1
9	New Zealand (NZL)	0	0	1	1
	Uzbekistan (UZB)	0	0	1	1
Totals (10 entries)		12	12	12	36

Overall Gymnastics Medal Table

This table shows the total medals won by each country across all types of gymnastics at the Summer Olympics, updated after the 2020 Games.

Rank	Nation	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
1	Soviet Union	73	67	44	184
2	United States	37	43	37	117
3	Japan	33	34	36	103
4	China	33	26	25	84
5	Romania	25	21	26	72
6	Russia	22	21	21	64
7	Switzerland	16	19	14	49
8	Hungary	15	11	14	40
9	Germany	14	12	14	40
10	Italy	14	7	11	32
11	Czechoslovakia	12	13	10	35
12	Unified Team	10	5	5	20
13	Finland	8	5	12	25
14	Ukraine	7	4	8	19
15	East Germany	6	13	17	36
16	Greece	5	3	4	12
17	Yugoslavia	5	2	4	11
18	Sweden	5	2	1	8
19	Canada	4	3	2	9
20	France	3	10	9	22
21	Great Britain	3	4	11	18
22	Bulgaria	3	4	8	15
23	Spain	3	4	1	8
24	Netherlands	3	0	0	3
	North Korea	3	0	0	3
26	Belarus	2	4	7	13
27	South Korea	2	4	5	11
28	ROC	2	4	4	10
29	Brazil	2	3	1	6
30	Israel	2	0	0	2
31	Denmark	1	2	1	4
	Norway	1	2	1	4
33	Poland	1	1	2	4
34	Belgium	1	1	1	3
	United Team of Germany	1	1	1	3
36	Austria	1	1	0	2
	Latvia	1	1	0	2
38	Mixed team	1	0	0	1
39	Croatia	0	2	0	2
40	Australia	0	1	0	1
	Chinese Taipei	0	1	0	1
42	Uzbekistan	0	0	2	2
	West Germany	0	0	2	2
44	Armenia	0	0	1	1
	New Zealand	0	0	1	1
	Turkey	0	0	1	1
Totals (46 entries)		380	361	364	1,105

Images for kids

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  A pictogram representing gymnastics.

See also

• Gymnastics at the Youth Olympic Games
• List of Olympic venues in gymnastics
• World Gymnastics Championships
• Gymnastics at the Alternate Olympics

In Spanish: Gimnasia en los Juegos Olímpicos para niños