British Gymnastics
Encyclopedia
British Gymnastics, also known as the British Amateur Gymnastics Association (BAGA), is the sports governing body for gymnastics in the UK.
, to improve the health and fitness of its soldiers. The rings
, pommel horse
, parallel bars, and horizontal bar
were developed by Jahn. In the late 1800s gymnastics became popular for men thanks to the Army Physical Training Corps which was formed in 1860. Walter Tysall
won the mens' silver medal in the 1908 Olympics
. After this time the Swedish form of gymnastics became more popular, a more artistic version developed by Pehr Henrik Ling
which was for men and women, and needed little apparatus.
Women first competed at the Olympics in gymnastics at the 1928 Olympics
in Amsterdam, where the British women's team took the bronze
- its best performance.
After the Second World War, the German and Swedish forms of gymnastics were combined. The 1960 Rome Olympics
were the first to be televised, and this led to a greater interest in Britain of gymnastics. This Olympics
had been dominated by Russian female gymnasts. In 1963 the Amateur Gymnastics Association became the British Amateur Gymnastics Association, and the BAGA first received a government grant, allowing it to pay coaches, and appoint a full-time national coach, Wray Stuart. He developed the BAGA Awards, a proficiency scheme for young gymnasts, which was adopted by seventy other countries.
The BAGA Awards started to produce results for Britain. Gymnastics was given superstar status by the 1972 Olympics at Munich
.
Anne, Princess Royal
opened the £1.75 million Princess Royal Hall at Lilleshall on 26 April 1988, paid for by the Sports Council. There is also the King George VI Hall and Ford Hall. Use of Lilleshall for gymnastics increased greatly throughout the late 1970s under Derek Tremayne. In 1997 BAGA became British Gymnastics.
History
It was founded in 1888 as the Amateur Gymnastics and Fencing Association. Gymnastics had been adopted in this country, having been invented in Germany by Friedrich Ludwig JahnFriedrich Ludwig Jahn
Friedrich Ludwig Jahn was a German gymnastics educator and nationalist. He is commonly known as Turnvater Jahn, roughly meaning "father of gymnastics" Jahn.- Life :...
, to improve the health and fitness of its soldiers. The rings
Rings (gymnastics)
The rings, also known as still rings , is an artistic gymnastics apparatus and the event that uses it. It is traditionally used only by male gymnasts, due to its extreme upper-body strength requirements...
, pommel horse
Pommel horse
The pommel horse is an artistic gymnastics apparatus. Traditionally, it is used by only male gymnasts. Originally made of a metal frame with a wooden body and a leather cover, modern pommel horses have a metal body covered with foam rubber and leather, with plastic handles .- History :The pommel...
, parallel bars, and horizontal bar
Horizontal bar
The high bar, also known as the horizontal bar, is an apparatus used by male gymnasts in Artistic Gymnastics. It traditionally consists of a cylindrical metal bar that is rigidly held above and parallel to the floor by a system of cables and stiff vertical supports. Gymnasts typically wear leather...
were developed by Jahn. In the late 1800s gymnastics became popular for men thanks to the Army Physical Training Corps which was formed in 1860. Walter Tysall
Walter Tysall
Walter Tysall was a British gymnast who competed in the 1908 Summer Olympics.He was born in Birmingham and died in Ashton-on-Ribble.In 1908 he won the silver medal in the individual all-around.-External links:*...
won the mens' silver medal in the 1908 Olympics
1908 Summer Olympics
The 1908 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the IV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was held in 1908 in London, England, United Kingdom. These games were originally scheduled to be held in Rome. At the time they were the fifth modern Olympic games...
. After this time the Swedish form of gymnastics became more popular, a more artistic version developed by Pehr Henrik Ling
Pehr Henrik Ling
Per Henrik Ling was a Swedish physical therapist, developer and teacher of medical-gymnastics.-Early life:...
which was for men and women, and needed little apparatus.
Women first competed at the Olympics in gymnastics at the 1928 Olympics
1928 Summer Olympics
The 1928 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the IX Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1928 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Amsterdam had bid for the 1920 and 1924 Olympic Games, but had to give way to war-victim Antwerp, Belgium, and Pierre de...
in Amsterdam, where the British women's team took the bronze
Gymnastics at the 1928 Summer Olympics
At the 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam, eight events in gymnastics were contested. For the first time at the Olympic Games, women competed in gymnastics. The rope climbing and sidehorse vault events were dropped from the program.-Medal summary:...
- its best performance.
After the Second World War, the German and Swedish forms of gymnastics were combined. The 1960 Rome Olympics
1960 Summer Olympics
The 1960 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held from August 25 to September 11, 1960 in Rome, Italy...
were the first to be televised, and this led to a greater interest in Britain of gymnastics. This Olympics
Gymnastics at the 1960 Summer Olympics
At the 1960 Summer Olympics, fourteen different artistic gymnastics events were contested, eight for men and six for women. All events were held in the Baths of Caracalla in Rome from September 5 through 10th.-Format of competition:...
had been dominated by Russian female gymnasts. In 1963 the Amateur Gymnastics Association became the British Amateur Gymnastics Association, and the BAGA first received a government grant, allowing it to pay coaches, and appoint a full-time national coach, Wray Stuart. He developed the BAGA Awards, a proficiency scheme for young gymnasts, which was adopted by seventy other countries.
The BAGA Awards started to produce results for Britain. Gymnastics was given superstar status by the 1972 Olympics at Munich
Gymnastics at the 1972 Summer Olympics
At the 1972 Summer Olympics, fourteen different artistic gymnastics events were contested, eight for men and six for women. All events were held at the Sports Hall in Munich from August 27 through September 1.-Format of competition:...
.
Lilleshall
It was registered as a company on 20 April 1982. In 1979 the Sports Council had built a gym at Lilleshall, equipped to international standards in 1980, with the Queen Elizabeth Hall. In 1981 a £18,000 feasibility study looked at developing Lilleshall into a national centre, and in October 1982 the Sports Council allocated £1 million to develop a national centre.Anne, Princess Royal
Anne, Princess Royal
Princess Anne, Princess Royal , is the only daughter of Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh...
opened the £1.75 million Princess Royal Hall at Lilleshall on 26 April 1988, paid for by the Sports Council. There is also the King George VI Hall and Ford Hall. Use of Lilleshall for gymnastics increased greatly throughout the late 1970s under Derek Tremayne. In 1997 BAGA became British Gymnastics.
Structure
It is based at the Lilleshall National Sports Centre in Shropshire, home of the British Olympic gymnastics team, and Britain's Olympic archery team. Lilleshall has been used for sport since 1949.Regions
- Scotland
- Northern Ireland
- North of England
- North West
- Yorkshire
- Wales
- West Midlands
- East Midlands
- Eastern Counties
- South West
- South
- South East
- London
Publications
Its main publication is The Gymnast, having been published since 1959.External links
- British Gymnastics
- British Gymnastics England
- London Schools Gymnastics Association
- BSGA Trampolining
- BG Insurance