You might have enjoyed watching the Olympic trampoline competition at the Olympics recently, but did you know that this sport wasn’t even a part of the Olympics until the year 2000? The trampoline was first invented by George Nissen and gymnastics coach Larry Griswold at the University of Iowa in 1936. In spite of this relatively long history, it took nearly two-thirds of a century for the sport to be considered for the Olympics.
Olympic trampolines must meet exacting measurements: 5.05 meters in length, 2.91 meters in width, and 1.155 meters in height. Along with this limited space, trampolinists have specific moves and forms to follow.
Twists and somersaults are added such as the straddle, pike, tuck, and straight jump to create a unique routine, which is viewed by nine judges chosen by the International Gymnastics Federation.
The scoring categories include flight time, execution, and difficulty of the routine. Learn more about this amazing sport from the detailed infographic below:
