During her senior year, Jordynn Cromartie faced a dilemma that’s plagued countless other Black gymnasts: She wanted to attend a historically black college or university (HBCU), but she also wanted to compete in the sport she’s dedicated most of her life to. So, she decided to do both — and in the process became the first HBCU gymnast in Olympic history.
In artistic gymnastics, a giant is an artistic gymnastic skill in which the gymnast rotates 360 degrees around a bar while in a fully extended position. It is performed on the uneven bars in women’s artistic gymnastics, and on the horizontal bar, parallel bars, and rings in men’s artistic gymnastics. The difficulty of a giant is judged according to the Code of Points for each quadrennium, or period of four years that culminate in the Olympics.
Giants are often a pivotal point in an artistic gymnast’s routine. They are used to build momentum for a variety of swings, balances, and release skills on the bars. Giants can also help gymnasts achieve the height needed for spectacular dismounts, like a triple back salto. The rigors of the uneven bars require tremendous upper body strength, and gymnasts typically hold their legs together or straddled to maintain stability.
A one-arm giant is a variation of the giant in which the gymnast swings with just one hand gripping the bar. The other arm is either pointed out toward the audience, or it is held in a standard grip. In some cases, gymnasts perform multiple giants in a row at the end of their uneven bars routine to generate enough momentum for their release and dismount.
The pommel horse is a leather-covered apparatus with two wood or plastic pommels, or loops designed for gripping, on top. Exercises on the pommel horse test a gymnast’s ability to move their arms in rapid, high-leg swings that demonstrate both strength and coordination.
The rings are two wood or metal rings suspended from straps and cables about 8.5 feet (2.5 meters) above the floor. Gymnasts grasp the rings and use them to demonstrate strength and balance in swings and handstands, including crosses (holding the body vertical with the arms). The ring vault is an additional element that requires additional strength and coordination.
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