Vault (gymnastics)

The vault is an artistic gymnastics move usually done on a pommel horse or a vaulting table. Both boys and girls do this event to show their skills. In gymnastics, people call this event VT for short.

Doing a vault takes a lot of strength, speed, and skill. Gymnasts run down a small lane and then jump onto the equipment. After that, they twist, turn, and flip in the air before landing safely on a mat.

The vault is fun to watch because it happens quickly. The athletes must do many moves in just a few seconds. It is a test of bravery and careful moves, which makes it a popular part of gymnastics competitions.

The apparatus

The vault is a gymnastics move performed on a special piece of equipment. Long ago, gymnasts used a wooden "horse" for vaulting, similar to the pommel horse. Men and women both used this equipment for over a hundred years in the Olympics, starting from the Men's vault in the first modern Olympics.

Because of safety concerns, the vaulting equipment was changed. Today, gymnasts use a "vaulting table." This table has a soft, padded surface that slopes down. It was first used in big international competitions in 2001 and is better for performing flips and twists.

The vaulting table is about 120 cm long and 90 cm wide. For men, it is 135 cm high, while for women, it is 125 cm high. There is also a long run-up area for gymnasts to sprint before they vault.

Vault as gymnastic skill

To do a vault, the gymnast runs down a padded runway and jumps onto a springboard. They then spring onto the vaulting table, often doing flips and twists in the air before landing safely on a mat. The way they prepare for the vault can vary; for example, in Yurchenko-style vaults, they place their hands on a mat before the springboard, round off, and then do a back handspring onto the vault.

The speed of the run-up affects how difficult the vault can be, especially for women. Men may not need to run as fast to perform very difficult vaults.

In competitions

Gymnasts, both male and female, do one vault in Qualification, Team Final, and All Around Final. In qualifications, they do a second vault to get into the vault apparatus finals. In the Apparatus Finals, gymnasts do two vaults. Men must do two vaults from different groups. Women must do two vaults with different movements from the vault table.

The score for a vault mixes the difficulty of the skills (D-value) and the execution (E-value). Judges watch the form, height, length, and landing during four main parts of the vault. Gymnasts try to land cleanly on the mat without hopping or stepping outside the landing zone.

Vault families

Vault styles are split into groups called families. In competitions, gymnasts do two vaults from different groups. These vaults must have different movements after the gymnast leaves the vaulting table. Common vault families include the handspring, Tsukahara, and Yurchenko vaults. Each family has its own special moves and challenges.

Injuries

The vaulting horse can sometimes lead to serious accidents. In 1988, American gymnast Julissa Gomez was hurt in a vaulting accident. In 1998, Chinese gymnast Sang Lan fell and was also hurt during warmups. In 2007, Dutch junior gymnast Imke Glas had a serious fall too.

Some studies show that how gymnasts land in vaults can affect their safety. Suggestions include letting gymnasts bend their knees more when they land to help prevent injuries.