Stories
New guides and explainers, plus retrospectives on moments that shaped European gymnastics.
How gymnastics scoring works: difficulty, execution and deductions
The open-ended scoring system explained without the jargon.
Mélanie de Jesus dos Santos and her 2019 European all-around title
How the French gymnast from Martinique won the 2019 European all-around crown in Szczecin.
Rhythmic gymnastics apparatus explained: rope, hoop, ball, clubs and ribbon
Five apparatus, five very different skills, and what judges look for in each.
Tickets for the 2020 Trampoline Europeans and what happened next
Ticket sales opened in December 2019 for an event that would not happen as planned.
Artur Dalaloyan leads men's qualification in Szczecin, 2019
The reigning world champion set the standard on the opening day of the 2019 European Championships.
Trampoline, tumbling and double mini-trampoline explained
Three disciplines, one family: how they differ and how they are judged.
When the gymnastics calendar stopped: the 2020 cancellations
How the 2020 season unravelled across every gymnastics discipline.
Dina and Arina Averina top the hoop and ball rankings in Baku, 2019
The Russian twins set the pace on the first day of senior individual qualification in Baku.
Starting gymnastics as an adult: a practical guide
It is never too late to learn a handstand. Here is how to start well.
Munich and the 2022 multi-sport European Championships
After Glasgow 2018, Munich took on the multi-sport European Championships in 2022.
Highlights of ACRO2019: triple crowns and an Israeli celebration
Four units won all three titles in Holon, and the host nation shone.
How to choose a gymnastics club for your child
What to look for, what to ask and which warning signs to take seriously.
Italy stops a Russian sweep of junior European titles, 2019
Italy's junior group showed the depth of its programme in Baku.
The first Junior World Championships in rhythmic gymnastics, 2019
A new championship for the sport's youngest elite gymnasts, and a Russian lead.
Anastasia Bachynska's floor win at the 2019 Cottbus World Cup
A Ukrainian weekend in Cottbus at the start of the Olympic-qualifying World Cup series.
Nikita Nagornyy and Aliya Mustafina win in Birmingham, 2019
A Russian double at the Birmingham all-around World Cup.
Simone Biles wins a record fourth world all-around title, Doha 2018
A record-breaking title in Doha and a close fight behind it.
Italy's gymnastics federation marks 150 years
One of Europe's oldest sports federations celebrated a century and a half.
How Basel prepared for the 2021 artistic Europeans
The first big European meet of the restart, organised under strict health rules.
Szczecin's Netto Arena gets ready for the 2019 Europeans
How a Polish port city prepared to host Europe's best artistic gymnasts.
The Averina twins in Kazan and Bulgaria's group gold
Russian individual dominance, and a Bulgarian group that broke the pattern.
What you will find here
Two kinds of writing live in this section. Guides are new, practical pieces for gymnasts, parents and fans: how scoring works, how to choose a club, how to start as an adult. Retrospectives revisit stories from European gymnastics between 2018 and 2020, rewritten with the benefit of hindsight.
New stories are added regularly. Suggestions for topics are welcome through our contact page.