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Record number of Australian gymnasts at the Olympics

We can't wait to see them in action!
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Move over Simone Biles, Team Australia is gearing up to steal your crown at the Olympic Gymnastics events!

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In 2024, a record number of our elite athletes will be taking to the floor, vaults, bars, and more to battle it out against some of the world’s most talented gymnasts, all for the glory of bringing home an Olympic medal.

Announcing the Olympic squad for Paris just prior to the games, Australia’s Deputy Chef de Mission Kaarle McCulloch said it was a “fantastic achievement” for so many Aussie athletes to qualify.

“Gymnastics is one of Australia’s most participated in sports and I am so excited for Australians to watch this team perform at the highest level in Paris,” she said at the time.

olympic gymnastics team australia
The largest Olympic gymnastics team in Australian history. (Credit: Getty)
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Who are the Australian gymnasts competing at the Olympics?

In 2024, 11 women and 2 men have qualified to represent Australia at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

These Australian gymnasts include:

In the Artistic Gymnastics competition, Emily Whitehead is the only returnee athlete. She will be joined by debutants Emma Nedov, Kate McDonald, Ruby Pass, Breanna Scott, and Jesse Moore.

In Rhythmic Gymnastics, Tokyo Olympian Lidiia Iakovleva will be joined by debutants Saskia Broedelet, Phoebe Learmont, Emmanouela Frroku, and Jessica Weintraub.

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Notably, Lidia is set to make history as the first Australian to compete in Rhythmic Gymnastics as part of a team AND individually.

Seventeen-year-old Brock Batty will also make global history as the youngest male from any nation to compete in the men’s Olympic trampoline tournament.

 Lidiia Iakovlev
Australia’s Lidiia Iakovleva will participate in two Olympic events. (Credit: Getty)

Will there be gymnastics in the 2024 Olympics?

Yes, there will be gymnastics at the 2024 Olympics!

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While gymnastics events have been a part of every single Summer Olympics since the modern reinvention of the Games in 1896, Australia only made its debut in the sport at the Melbourne 1956 Olympic Games.

In 2024, Australia will be sending its largest Olympic gymnastics team ever, the second largest being Tokyo in 1964.

brock batty olympics
Brock Batty is the youngest Olympic trampoliner to ever compete.

What is Olympic gymnastics called?

There are three disciples of Olympic gymnastics. These include:

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Artistic: Includes use of the balance beam, pommel horse, still rings, vault, parallel bars, uneven bars, horizontal bars, and floor. Competitors are scored on the difficulty and execution of the techniques demonstrated.

Rhythmic: A women-only discipline that sees competitors perform routines on a 13m x 13m floor with various apparatus (hoop, ball, ribbon, and clubs). Competitors are scored on the artistry and skill shown as they execute difficult maneuvers with their apparatus.

Trampoline: Athletes jump up to 10 metres into the air while twisting, spinning, and turning their bodies. All athletes perform one pre-rehearsed return and one choreographed by their own team. Points are awarded for difficulty, execution, flight time, and horizontal displacement.

ji wallace sydney olympics
Ji Wallace could hardly believe he’d landed himself a podium finish at the Sydney 2000 Olympics!
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How many medals have Australian gymnasts won at the Olympics?

“Jumping Ji” Wallace was the recipient of Australia’s first-ever Olympic medal in gymnastics, winning a silver medal for trampoline (the same year the discipline debuted) at the Sydney Olympic Games in 2000.

In the years since no other Australian gymnast has secured a podium finish.

Simone Biles from Team USA is the one to beat. (Credit: Getty)

When is the Olympic gymnastics taking place in 2024?

All gymnastic events across the three disciplines will take place on the following dates:

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Artistic: Saturday, July 27 – Friday, August 2, Saturday, August 3rd – Monday, August 5th at Bercy Arena

Rhythmic: Thursday, August 8th – Saturday, August 10th at Porte de La Chapelle Arena

Trampoline: Friday, August 2nd at Bercy Arena

Watch the Olympic Games Paris 2024 on Stan Sport.

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