How to judge gymnastics

[Beyond the Bets]

From Max Sabert, our resident guest gymnastics expert. He has an outstanding main page post and breaks down where he sees value. He has competed as a gymnast for about 20 years and knows most of the competitors involved.

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Let's analyze Kohei Uchimura's (Japan) Rings routine from the 2011 World Championships Rings Finals. I will list the name of the skill, the value, and the amount of deductions I would have taken if I were the judge.





Skill 1( 0:19): Azarian to Iron Cross, D, -0.1 for false grip on the rings, -0.1 for coming in too high before getting into iron cross, -0.3 for not holding a full two seconds.
Skill 2 (0:26): Pull to Inverted Cross (+0.1 in bonus for this skill), C, -0.1 for arch.
Skill 3 (0:30): Tuck Yamiwaki, C, no deduction (perfect).
Skill 4 (0:32): Whip-it to cross, D, -0.1 for coming in a little high again.
Skill 5 (0:34): Pull to Maltese (+0.1 in bonus), D, no deduction.
Skill 6 (0:47): Back up rise to Inverted Cross, D, -0.1 for ring swing, -0.1 for arch.
Skill 7 (0:50): Front Giant, C, no deduction.
Skill 8 (0:56): Pike Yamiwaki (same skill as Skill 3, just in a piked position), D, no deduction.
Skill 9 (0:58): Back-Uprise to Maltese/Planch, C, -0.5 for no hold, -0.3 for positioning (this was really bad).
Skill 10 (1:09): Dismount–Double twisting double tuck, E, -0.1 for tiny hop on landing.

Start Value: 10.0 + D, C (+0.1), C, D, D (+0.1), D, C, D, C, E + 5 category completions (2.5)
Start Value (added): 10.0 + 3.9 + 2.5 = 16.4
Deductions: 1.8
Final Score: 14.6

This was obviously not a routine. He is capable of much more. You will see Kohei in the Olympics score over 15.0, and sometimes 16.0, in every event. He had a big bobble on Skill 9. The final score from the official judges was 14.633, just because they have multiple judges and do an average. That should give you the basic idea of how gymnastics is judged. You will hear a lot about the start value and difficulty and that's how it is found.

[ChiefZilla]

Fascinating stuff! I had no idea.

(Get this guy on the forum! )