Gymnastics is one of the original Olympic events and has been contested at every modern Olympics. Artistic gymnastics was the original form and women started competing in 1928. Rhythmic gymnastics was added in 1984 and trampoline was added in 2000. The Men’s program took on it’s current form in 1932 and remains unchanged since then. The women’s form reached it’s current look in 1960. The competitions will be held in the HSBC Arena, built in 2007. The US qualified their artistic teams at the world championships as did the rhythmic group and individual members. The trampoline spots were qualified at the Olympic test event in Rio earlier this year.

The Team:

This year’s team is made up of six men and 12 women.  Of the 18 team members only five have been to the Olympics before with all of those on the men and women’s artistic teams. Chris Brooks is the oldest team member at 29 while Laurie Hernandez is just 16.

Links are to twitter accounts for the athletes.

USA Gymnastics
USA Gymnastics Trampoline and Tumbling
Men:
Chris Brooks – Artistic
Jake Dalton* – Artistic
Danell Leyva* – Artistic
Sam Mikulak* – Artistic
Alex Naddour – Artistic
Logan Dooley – Trampoline

Women:
Simone Biles – Artistic
Gabby Douglas* – Artistic
Laurie Hernandez – Artistic
Madison Kocian – Artistic
Aly Raisman* – Artistic
Kiana Eide – Group Rhythmic
Alisa Kano – Group Rhythmic
Natalie McGiffert – Group Rhythmic
Monica Rokhman – Group Rhythmic
Kristen Shaldybin – Group Rhythmic
Laura Zeng – Individual Rhythmic
Nicole Ahsinger – Trampoline
* – Was part of team in 2012 – London

Format:

Artistic gymnastics will start with a qualification round where the team’s individuals will compete on all the apparatus. This will qualify eight teams for the team final, 24 gymnasts for the individual all-around final, and eight athletes per apparatus for the individual apparatus finals. The team final will see only three members per team compete on each apparatus.  The qualification day is obviously most important for individuals trying to get into the finals for their events, while the top teams should be fairly safe to make the team final.

Rhythmic gymnastics starts with all individuals competing in a qualification round each taking their turn on the four apparatus. After this round only the top 10 move on the final. In the final they will compete on each apparatus again and the best combined score wins. In the group event the top eight move on from qualifying to the final. Each round in the group event is two routines, one with all five using balls and the other with three using ribbons and two using hoops.

Trampoline gymnastics starts with a qualification round with two routines. The first routine is restricted in difficulty and aims for execution. The second routine is where the competitors can show off the most difficult moves.  The top eight combined scores from the two routines will advance to the final. In the final there is a routine of ten skills that will provide the final scores.

Schedule:

All Times ET
Saturday, August 6th
1:30 PM – Men’s Artistic – Qualification – Subdivision 2

Sunday, August 7th
4:30 PM – Women’s Artistic – Qualification – Subdivision 4

Monday, August 8th
3 PM – Men’s Artistic – Team – Final

Tuesday, August 9th
3 PM – Women’s Artistic – Team – Final

Wednesday, August 10th
3 PM – Men’s Artistic – Individual All-Around – Final

Thursday, August 11th
3 PM – Women’s Artistic – Individual All-Around – Final

Friday, August 12th
1:03 PM – Women’s Trampoline – Qualification
2:42 PM – Women’s Trampoline – Final

Saturday, August 13th
1:03 PM – Men’s Trampoline – Qualification
2:42 PM – Men’s Trampoline – Final

Sunday, August 14th
1 PM – Men’s Artistic – Floor Exercise – Final
1:47 PM – Women’s Artistic – Vault – Final
2:34 PM – Men’s Artistic – Pommel Horse – Final
3:21 PM – Women’s Artistic – Uneven Bars – Final

Monday, August 15th
1 PM – Men’s Artistic – Rings – Final
1:54 PM – Men’s Artistic – Vault – Final
2:46 PM – Women’s Artistic – Balance Beam – Final

Tuesday, August 16th
1 PM – Men’s Artistic – Parallel Bars – Final
1:47 PM – Women’s Artistic – Floor Exercise – Final
2:34 PM – Men’s Artistic – High Bar – Final

Friday, August 19th
9:20 AM – Women’s Rhythmic – Individual All-Around – Qualification – Rotation 1 & 2
1:50 PM – Women’s Rhythmic – Individual All-Around – Qualification – Rotation 3 & 4

Saturday, August 20th
9 AM – Women’s Rhythmic – Group All-Around – Qualification – Rotation 1
11:40 AM – Women’s Rhythmic – Group All-Around – Qualification – Rotation 2
2:20 PM – Women’s Rhythmic – Individual All-Around – Final

Sunday, August 21st
10 AM – Women’s Rhythmic – Group All-Around – Final

Past Results:

The US trails only the Soviet Union in medals in artistic gymnastics having won 101 medals and 33 golds. The US has never medaled in rhythmic gymnastics or trampoline. Danell Levya won a bronze in London while Aly Raisman and Gabby Douglas each won two golds with Raisman adding a bronze as well.