ARTISTIC GYMNASTICS

The term "gymnastics" meant a complex of exercises for physical education, military art and health in Ancient Greece approximately in the V century. Ancient Greeks believed that gymnastics gave a body dexterity, strength, quickness, grace, beauty, as well as developed sense of bravery and nobility in a man. The Greeks used gymnastic exercises not only for physical development but also for training of the military men.

While preparing the legionaries for a battle in Ancient Rome, special horses were used and they were trained by means of special beams. At gladiators’ schools, gymnastics played an irreplaceable role in improvement of movements' quickness and in increase of the gladiators’ endurance. Humanists of the Renaissance attached great importance to gymnastics in an issue of physical training and all-round development of the youth. In the XVI century, a distinguished specialist in gymnastics field I. Merkurialis published his work known as "About art of gymnastics." German teachers Fit (1763-1836) and F. Guts Muth (1759-1839) are the founders of practical and theoretical principles in development of gymnastics. They have given ideas about biomechanics of gymnastic movements, and developed and prepared a methodology of gymnastic movements with apparatus.

International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) has been established in 1881. Gymnastics took its own place among other sports disciplines in the program of the first Olympic Games held in Athens in 1896.

The first World Championship in artistic gymnastics was organized in 1903 on initiative of a Belgian Kuperus who founded the FIG.

From 1903 to 1913, the World Championships were being held once in two years. Since 1922, the World Championships had been organized once in four years. It was decided to hold World Championships once in two years again at the FIG congress in 1977. At present, the World Championships are organized every year except the year when the Olympic Games take place.

Starting from 1938, women also participate at the championships. And the European Championships has been held since 1969.

Men competed on the following apparatus at the first Olympic Games: competitions on horizontal bar, pommel horse, parallel bars, vault and swarming up the rope.

The first Olympic champion on parallel bars was Alfred Flaitov (Germany), on vault - his compatriot Kari Shuman, on pommel horse - Luis Zusher (Sweden), on horizontal bar - Hermann Weingartner (Germany), on rings - Ioannis Mitropoulos (Greece), swarming up the rope - Nikolas Andiriakonukos (Greece). German gymnasts were distinguished on individual and team competitions: 5 gold, 3 silver and 1 bronze medals.

For the first time, women participated in the IX Olympiad held in Amsterdam in 1928. It is also an interesting fact that a number of both men and women gymnasts constituted 108 sportsmen at the Olympic Games in Atlanta-1996.

The development of artistic gymnastics is connected with the names of famous gymnasts. Larisa Latinina, who performed in the composition of the USSR national team at the XVI, XVII and XVIII Olympic Games and won 18 medals (9 gold, 5 silver, 4 bronze medals) is well-known all over the world. She was twice honored with a title of All-Around Champion at the Olympic Games in Melbourne and Rome ("the all-around champion" is the highest title for a gymnast). A participant of the XX, XXI and XXII Olympic Games Nikolay Adrianov, the holder of 15 medals (7 gold, 5 silver, 3 bronze) and the all-around champion of the Montreal Games, holders of 13 medals (7 gold, 4 silver, 2 bronze medals) on the XVI, XVII and XVIII Olympic Games Boris Shakhlin, Japanese gymnast Takashi Ono (5 gold, 4 silver, 4 bronze) and others have added glorious pages to history of artistic gymnastics.

ARTISTIC GYMNASTICS IN AZERBAIJAN

Artistic gymnastics began its development in Azerbaijan in the 30th of the last century. The Republic’s first Championship was held in Baku in 1939. Beginning from the late 50th, a strong generation of artistic gymnasts was growing in Azerbaijan. Such gymnasts as Tofik Mehdiyev, Dmitriy Felonov, Natalya Abdinova, Raisa Timinova, Galina Urbanovich worthily defended sports honor of Azerbaijan in various international tournaments. In the 80th, a new spirit, a new breath came in Azerbaijan artistic gymnastics with the names of Kamran Farzaliyev, Vagif Sadiyev and Valery Belenky.

The most famous artistic gymnast of Azerbaijan, Valery Belenky, was born in Baku in 1969. Starting to engage in this sports discipline at an early age, Belenky was invited to the composition of the USSR national team at the age of 14.

Being the all-around Azerbaijan Champion and holder of the country’s Cup, Belenky won a title of the World Champion within the USSR national team in 1989. He became the champion on parallel bars, rings, as well as the silver medalist on floor exercises and bronze medalist on vault within the national team at the Goodwill Games in Seattle in 1990.

Having won the World Cup within the CIS national team in 1991, V. Belenky became the Olympic Champion at the XXV Games in Barcelona in 1992 and won the bronze medal in an individual competition. In 1995, he took the bronze at the European Championships and won the Champion’s title on pommel horse.

At present, a new generation of artistic gymnasts is growing in Azerbaijan, as well as sections are opened in Baku, Sumgayit and Balakan. A two-time Azerbaijan champion has successfully been taking part in the training camp under the leadership of Valery Belenky in Stuttgart (Germany) since 2009 and has good chances for participation at the London 2012 Olympic Games. And a junior Elvin Aghadadayev took the fourth place in the final on pommel horse at the European Youth Olympic Festival in Trabzon-2011.