A 3-DIMENSIONAL ANALYSIS OF THE MENS COMPULSORY VAULT PERFORMED AT THE 1992 OLYMPIC GAMES

The 20 highest scored handspring with full-turn vaults performed durin g the 1992. Olympic Games were compared with those receiving the 20 lo west scores. Hypotheses were that the vaults receiving high scores wou ld (a) demonstrate larger horizontal velocity at takeoff from the boar d and larger vertical velocity at takeoff from the horse and (b) demon strate greater amplitude of postflight, higher center of gravity (CG) at the completion of the full twist, and superior landing performance than those receiving low scores. Two 16-mm Locam II DC cameras, each o perating at a nominal frame rate of 100 Hz, recorded the vaults. It wa s concluded that the vaults receiving high scores demonstrated (a) lar ger horizontal velocity and translational kinetic energy at takeoff fr om the board, larger vertical velocity and translational kinetic energ y at takeoff from the horse, and greater amplitude of postflight; (b) greater heights of CG from the beginning of the second-quarter twist t o halfway through the third-quarter twist; and (c) superior landing pe rformance than those receiving low scores.