Handspring double salto forward tucked facts for kids
The Produnova is a very exciting and challenging vault in gymnastics. It is also known as the Roche vault for boys. This amazing move involves a front handspring onto the vaulting table. Then, the gymnast performs two front somersaults in a tucked position before landing.
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The Amazing Produnova Vault
The Produnova vault is famous for being one of the most difficult skills in gymnastics. Both male and female gymnasts have performed variations of this vault. It requires incredible strength, speed, and precision.
What is the Produnova Vault?
Imagine running towards the vaulting table. You push off the springboard and do a handspring onto the table. As your hands leave the table, you quickly flip forward twice in a tight ball (tucked position). Then, you land perfectly on your feet! That's the Produnova vault.
How Scores Work in Gymnastics
In gymnastics, vaults get a "D-score" (Difficulty score). This score shows how hard a vault is. The higher the D-score, the more challenging the vault. The Produnova vault has a very high D-score. This means it is one of the toughest vaults to do.
The Produnova for Boys: The Roche Vault
For boys in men's artistic gymnastics, this vault is called the Roche. The first gymnast to successfully perform it was Jorge Roche from Cuba in 1980. It was a big deal back then! Many gymnasts performed the Roche vault at the 2000 Summer Olympics. By 2010, male gymnasts even added twists or kept their legs straight (piked position) to make it even harder.
The Produnova for Girls: A Super Difficult Challenge
In women's artistic gymnastics, this vault is known as the Produnova. It is named after Yelena Produnova from Russia. She was the first woman to successfully complete this vault in 1999. Yelena's coach even challenged her to do it!
Why is it so Challenging?
The Produnova vault is known for its extreme difficulty. It requires perfect timing and a lot of power. Gymnasts must complete two full front flips in the air. If a gymnast does not rotate enough, landing can be very tricky. Because of its high risk, some people even call it the "vault of extreme challenge." Famous gymnast Simone Biles once explained that she chooses not to perform it due to its high difficulty and the need for perfect execution to avoid serious injury.
The difficulty score (D-score) for the Produnova has changed over time. For example, in the 2009–2012 rules, it had a D-score of 7.1. In the most recent Code of Points (artistic gymnastics) (2022–2024), its D-score is 6.0. This still makes it one of the most difficult vaults in women's gymnastics.
Gymnasts Who Mastered the Produnova
Only a few gymnasts have successfully performed the Produnova vault in major competitions. It takes incredible bravery and skill! Here are some of the amazing athletes who have done it:
