(one). Synchronized swimming position: on the back at an angle to the surface of the water, one leg is raised vertically up to an angle of 90 degrees with respect to the surface of the bottom, the other is bent at the hip and knee joint (the shin is parallel to the water surface and is pressed against the inner side of the shin of the "vertical" leg ).
- F. in immersion. Position of synchronized swimming. Similar to the flamingo position, but the water level is at the ankle of the "vertical" leg.

(Source: Sports Terminology. Explanatory Dictionary of Sports Terms, 2001)

FLAMINGO

(2). The figure of synchronized swimming consists of the following basic positions: on the back, angle up, flamingo, angle up with two, vertical.
- F., screw-rotation. Similar to the "flamingo, half-twist" figure, but in the "vertical" position, a half-twist and a rotation of 180 degrees to the "vertical in immersion" position are performed.
- F., whirlwind. Similar to the "flamingo" figure, but in the "vertical" position, a whirlwind is performed.
- F., 180 degree rotation (360 degrees). Similar to the "flamingo" figure, but in the "vertical" position, a rotation of 180 degrees (360 degrees) is performed to the "vertical in immersion" position.
- F., half screw (screw). Similar to the "flamingo" figure, but in the "vertical" position, a half-screw (screw) is performed.
- F., continuous rotation. Similar to the flamingo figure, but with a vertical dive, the maximum number of rotations is performed.
- F. with bent knee. The figure of synchronized swimming consists of the following basic positions: on the back, angle up, flamingo, vertical with bent knee, vertical.
- F. with bent knee, screw - rotation. Similar to the figure "flamingo with bent knee", but in the "vertical" position, a half-twist is performed, then a rotation of 180 degrees to the position "vertical in immersion".
- F. with bent knee, whirlwind. Similar to the "flamingo with bent knee" figure, but in the "vertical with bent knee" position, a whirlwind is performed.
- F. knee bent, 180 degree rotation (360 degrees). Similar to the bent-knee flamingo figure, but in the vertical position, a 180-degree (360-degree) rotation is performed to the submerged vertical position.
- F. with bent knee, half screw (screw). Similar to the "flamingo with bent knee" figure, but in the "vertical" position, a half-screw (screw) is performed.
- F. with bent knee, continuous rotation. Similar to the "flamingo with bent knee" figure, but in the "vertical" position, the maximum number of rotations is performed.

1. What is the motto of the modern Olympics? ("Faster, higher, stronger")

2. Why are sports called the Olympic Games? (Many centuries ago, in the valley of the Alpheus River in Olympia, competitions of Greek athletes began to be held, which were called Olympic Games)

3. Why did the ancient Greeks call the Olympic Games holidays of peace? (For the duration of the games, hostilities ceased in all Greek states, a ban was introduced on carrying weapons on the territory of Hellas)

4. What did the winner of the Olympic Games receive as a reward? (A wreath from the branches of the sacred olive tree growing in Olympia. In honor of the victorious athletes in their hometowns, coins with his image came out and marble statues were erected)

5. What is the maximum duration of the Olympic Games? (Fifteen days including opening day, ten days for the Winter Olympics)

6. When did the competitions of athletes in Olympia begin? (The first Olympic Games known to us took place in 776 BC)

7. Who was eligible to participate in the Olympic Games in Ancient Greece? (Free Greek citizens, provided that during the ten months preceding the competitions, they prepared for them by practicing daily)

8. Did women take part in the ancient Olympic competitions? (Women were not allowed to participate in the Olympic Games. Once every four years, festivities were held in Olympia in honor of the goddess Hera, the patroness of marriage. The program of these festivities included girls running competitions)

9. Does the Olympus mountain range in northern Greece have anything to do with the Olympic Games? (The Olympic Games were held in Olympia in southern Greece. Mount Olympus in northern Greece, according to legend, the abode of the ancient Greek gods, has nothing to do with the Olympic Games)

10. Which of the most famous ancient scientists won the Olympic Games? (Pythagoras repeatedly won the Olympic competitions of fist fighters)

11. What is called a cross? (Sports cross-country running)

12. Which of the great Russian commanders was hardening his body and in winter could stand all day in the cold in one uniform? (Alexander Suvorov)

13. Young athlete. (Junior)

14. Which of the Russian writers founded the "Russian Gymnastic Society" in Moscow in 1882? (Anton Chekhov and Vladimir Gilyarovsky)

15. Which of the Russian writers, despite his advanced age, was fond of horse riding, skating, gymnastics, cycling? (Lev Tolstoy)

16. What kind of sport can be called exclusively female? (Synchronized swimming)

17. What does the Olympic flag look like? (A cloth with five intertwined rings of blue, yellow, black, green and red in the center)

18. When was the Olympic flag first raised? (In 1914, in Paris, at a celebration in honor of the twentieth anniversary of the revival of the Olympic Games)

19. What awards are established for athletes who have achieved success in Olympic competitions? (Athletes who take 1-3 places in competitions are awarded with medals and diplomas. Those who take 4-6 places receive diplomas)

20. When and in what sports did women first take part in the Olympic Games? (At the 1900 Olympic Games - in golf and tennis competitions)

21. In which sport do women compete for the most gold medals? (In athletics and swimming - fourteen gold medals each)

22. When and where was the first Olympic village built? (In 1932, in Los Angeles, where the games of the X Olympiad were held)

23. At what games did athletes from all five continents compete for the first time? (At the 1908 Olympics)

24. What great Italian artist, scientist and engineer pointed out the healing power of running? (Leonardo da Vinci)

25. When and where did such a sport as running originate? (About two and a half thousand years ago in Ancient Greece)

26. When did running competitions begin to be held in Russia? (In 1888, a sports club appeared in Tyarlovo, near St. Petersburg, and the first running competitions in Russia were held)

27. How old is chess? (Approximately 1500 years old)

28. What is the name of the sport: sledding in the prone position, which was common among the Canadian Indians? (Skeleton)

29. Which Danish Nobel Prize-winning physicist was an excellent goalkeeper? (Niels Bohr)

30. How many squares is the chessboard divided into? (The chessboard is divided into 64 equal-sized fields - 32 white and 32 black)

31. A sports facility that got its name from the ancient Greek measure of length. (Stadium - from "stage")

32. What is the name of a pole with a paddle for rowing? (Paddle)

33. From which Olympics did competitions begin between young men under the age of eighteen? (Starting from the XXXVII Olympiad)

Athletics competitions became the most massive - 63 athletes from 9 countries took part in 12 events. The largest number of species - 9 - was won by representatives of the United States.

11 events were held at the Marble Stadium, which turned out to be inconvenient for runners. At the ancient Games, the competitions were not held in a circle, but in a straight line (when running for more than 1 stage, the participants at the opposite end of the stadium turned back). During the reconstruction, the stadium was not expanded, so the circular track turned out to be elongated with very steep turns, which reduced the speed. In addition, the track was too soft.

100 meters run

American wins 100m and 400m Tom Burke, the only one of the participants who used a low start, which at first caused ridicule from the audience. The 800m and 1500m were won by the only Australian at the Games, while the 100m hurdles by an American Thomas Curtis.

All jump events were won by the Americans - Ellery Clark(high jump and long jump) Wells Hoyt(pole vault) and James Connolly(triple jump). Triple jump competition ended on April 6 before other events Olympic program, and Connolly became the first modern Olympic champion.

First Olympic champion Modernity - James Connolly

Connolly jumped a whole meter further than the French Olympic silver medalist Alexander Tuffer. James Connolly, a law student at Harvard University, came to Europe without the permission of his professors, moreover, despite their prohibition. But when he returned home with a gold medal, angry pundits changed their anger to mercy. Subsequently, the first Olympic champion became a well-known journalist and writer. He was also offered an honorary doctorate from Harvard, but Connolly rejected this offer.

In discus throwing, which has ancient roots, the Greeks counted on winning: international competitions on it before the Games of 1896 were not held, and the Greek athletes were preparing for several months in a training camp. However, having taken the lead in the last attempt, the American won, who first saw how the discus was thrown, a few days before the competition. He also won the shot put; taking in addition to this 2nd place in the high jump, he became the most titled athlete of the Games.

Robert Garrett during discus throw

Having learned that the program of the Games includes discus throwing, Garrett decided to take part in it, but since this sport was unknown in America, he began to make inquiries, and someone told him that at the Olympics they would use the same disc as the ancient throwers used. Acquainted with the technique of throwing, Garrett I ordered a similar disk for myself and calmly trained with it at home. Arriving in Athens Garrett found that the modern disc is much lighter and more comfortable in shape. So much easier and more convenient that it was not difficult for him to beat the favorites. True, after two attempts, the Greek was ahead with a score of 28 meters 95 centimeters. Panagiotis Paraskevopoulos. But in the last attempt, the American threw a projectile weighing 1.923 kilograms at 29 meters 15 centimeters.

Interesting detail: Garrett came from New York to Greece at his own expense and also paid for the trip of three of his teammates.

Another view took place outside the stadium - a race along the legendary route from the city of Marathon to Athens (40 km), called the marathon. The Greek won Spiridon Louis who became a national hero in his homeland.

Spiridon Louis

Before the marathon, a representative of the organizing committee said that tomorrow there would be intense heat and a high risk of getting sunstroke. Several athletes immediately prudently refuse to participate in the competition and leave the Marathon. The next day, at two o'clock in the afternoon, the athletes gathered at a small bridge, from which in 490 BC. e. started his run Phidipid. After a small solemn ceremony, a shot is heard and a group of runners sets off on a forty-kilometer path, surrounded by numerous mounted soldiers, cyclists and gigs. The heat is terrible.

About ten kilometers everyone runs in one group. Women, seeing marathon runners running past, are baptized. In Pekermi, the first checkpoint. Everyone is given water and - surprise - wine! Two faint. At about the tenth kilometer, the French Albin Lermusier rushes forward. Soon he is already thirty meters ahead of the nearest rival - the Australian Flack, Olympic champion in the 800 and 1500 meters. fifty meters Lermusier ahead of the Hungarian waiter and American Black.

In Karvati, at the exit from the Marathon Valley, Lermusier knows he's ahead Flack for a whole kilometer. The Greeks are even further behind, the best of them is three kilometers behind the leader! But on the long climb behind Megalo Revan, the Frenchman's run gets harder. Approaching the plain of Spata, a little further than the thirtieth kilometer of the distance, Lermusier stops on the side of the road. His compatriot Gisel, who rides a bicycle nearby, rubs his legs with a special ointment. He runs again, but his impulse is broken and the rhythm of running is lost. After two thousand meters, the crash: Lermusier falls and loses consciousness.

At the thirty-third kilometer, the race was led by Flack. After some time, a Greek appears a few tens of meters away from him. Spiridon Louis. With long strides he overtakes the Australian. Flack, seeing that he is bypassed, does not withstand the tension of the struggle and falls.

The Marble Stadium is already visible ahead. The fact that the Greek runner was in the lead was reported to the king George I. A gunshot is heard. Eighty thousand hearts beat in unison. The complete silence is broken by a cry of relief: an almost black from the dust ran into the stadium track Louis. The last lap around the stadium is both heaven and hell. The spectators jumped from their seats. The air rang with shouts of jubilation and joy. The judges rushed after the runner and ran to the finish line with him. Two Greeks picked up the winner on their shoulders and carried them to the king.

A contemporary describes this event, which adorned the 1st Olympiad, as follows:

"Thousands of flowers and gifts were thrown at the feet of the winner, the hero of the 1st Games. Thousands of doves flew into the air, carrying ribbons in the color of the Greek flag. People poured onto the field and began to swing the champion. To free Louis, the crown prince and his brother descended from the stands to meet the champion and took him to the royal box. And here, to the unceasing applause of the public, the king embraced the peasant."

From the very beginning of the I Olympic Games, Greece has been waiting for its hero. And so he appeared in the guise of a young clerk from the village of Maroussi near Athens.

Spiridon Louis became a national hero. He was the first modern athlete to receive the highest honors. The awarding of the winners of the Olympiad in all sports took place on the closing day of the Games. Repeating the ancient ceremonial, a laurel wreath was placed on the head of the champion, a medal, a diploma and an olive branch cut in the "sacred grove of Olympia" were presented to him.

All winners:

Running, 100 m (18 participants, 9 countries)

1. T. Burke (USA) - 12.0.
2. F. Hoffman (Germany) - 12.2.
3. A. Sokoji (Hungary) - 12.6.

Running, 400 m (11 participants, 6 countries)

1. T. Burke (USA) - 54.2 (RR).
2. X. Jamison (USA) - 55.2.
3. F. Hofmann (Germany).

Running, 800 m (9 participants, 5 countries)

1. E. Flack (Australia) - 2.11.0.
2. N. Dani (Hungary) - 2:11.8.
3. D. Golemis (Greece).

Running, 1500m (8 participants, 5 countries)

1. E. Flack (Australia) - 4.33.2 (RR).
2. A. Vlenk (USA) - 4.34.0.
3. A. Lermusio (France) - 4.36.0.

Marathon run, 42,195 m (17 participants, 5 countries)

1. S. Louis (Greece) - 2.58.50.
2. X. Vasilakos (Greece) - 3.06.03.
3. D. Kelner (Hungary) - 3.06.35.

Running, 100 & Hurdles (7 participants, 5 countries)

1. T. Curtis (USA) - 17.6 (RR).
2. G. Goulding (Great Britain) - 17.7.

High jump (5 participants, 3 countries)

1. E. Clark (USA) - 1.81 (RR).
2. J. Connolly (USA), R. Garrett (USA) - 1.65.

Pole vault (5 participants, 2 countries)

1. W. Hoyt (USA) - 3.30, (RR).
2. A. Tyler (USA) - 3.25.
3. E. Damascos (Greece) - 2.85.

Long jump (9 participants, 5 countries)

1. E. Clark (USA) - 6.35 (OR).
2. R. Garrett (USA) -6.18.
3. J. Connolly (USA) - 6.11.

Triple jump (7 participants, 5 countries)

1. J. Connolly (USA) - 13.71 (OR).
2. A. Tuffeli (France) - 12.70.
3. Ya. I. Persakis (Greece) - 12.52.

Shot put (7 participants, 5 countries)

1. R. Garrett (USA) - 11.22 (RR).
2. M. Guskos (Greece) - 11.20.
3. G. Papasideris (Greece) - 10.36.

Discus throw (9 participants, 6 countries)

1. R. Garrett (USA) - 29.15 (RR).
2. P. Paraskevopoulos (Greece) - 28.955.
3. S. Versns (Greece) - 28.78.

James Brendan Bennett Connolly was destined to become the first modern champion. Of course, many will say that this is an accident, someone will notice that the program of the Games just happened, but it happened that way. It is not known whether this is fate or an accident, but it is known that this is a fact. A historical fact and an important fact.

Originally from Boston

James Connolly was born in Boston on October 28, 1868. He was one of 12 children in an Irish immigrant family. This family situation required him to start working early, so from the age of 12, James worked in various positions, from a clerk to an engineer. From childhood he played several sports(American football and athletics), which was common at the time.

As a student at Harvard University (and he entered Harvard at the age of 27), James Connolly decided to take part in modern times in competitions in. On a cargo ship, he reached the capital of Greece. And by the way, for leaving for Greece without notifying the university administration, he was expelled from the number of students.

First Olympic champion

April 6, 1896 James Connolly became the first Olympic champion modernity.

Having shown the result of 13 m 71 cm, he won the track and field triple jump. However, for this achievement, he did not receive a gold medal, like all the winners of these Games. This is due to the fact that at the first Games there were only silver and bronze medals. However, the victory in the sector for triple jumps is not the only Olympic achievement of the American.

The very next day, April 7, James Connolly took third place in the long jump, and three days later won second place in the high jump. After a triumphant return from Athens, the leadership of the university returned James to the ranks of students.

In 1900, Connolly took part in the II Modern Olympic Games, where he won a silver medal in the triple jump (but already for second place). Connolly's result was better than in Athens - 13.91 meters. However, the victory in this type of competition was celebrated by another American jumper - Meyer Prinstein, who jumped 14.47 m.

In 1906, the Extraordinary Olympic Games were held in Athens. Connolly competed in the long jump and triple jump, but this time he couldn't even make it into the top ten.

Find yourself after sports

Having completed his sports career, James Connolly led a rather modest lifestyle, he was not a world-famous legend of world sports, there were no fans on duty under his house who wanted to take a photographer from an idol. At the beginning of the twentieth century, the Olympic Games, and sports in general, were just beginning to gain momentum, and sports in many countries of the world were of an amateur nature. After leaving the sport, Connolly changed many professions in his life. He also worked at the sea docks, wrote articles about the war and the 1904 Olympics in St. Louis, and was the author of several novels.

In 1949, Harvard University (where he studied) awarded him doctoral degree for his literary works.

The first Olympic champion died at the age of 88 on January 20, 1957 in Brooklyn. In his honor, in 1987 in the park. Joe Macley in south Boston, a monument was unveiled. James Connolly is pictured landing in a sand pit after performing the 1896 victory jump at the first modern Olympic Games .

How interesting it is to watch the beautiful synchronized movements of skaters on the ice, and how difficult it is for them to perform certain movements. At the same time, few people know and distinguish between the types of jumps themselves. But many fans of winter sports can name the most successful figure skaters. Moreover, not only their numbers and carefully selected costumes are remembered, but also that jump into figure skating, which they did in a certain stage program. Today we tried to find out what modern jumps are like. And also about which of them is the most difficult.

General information about jumping in programs

Jumps are considered mandatory elements and part of the program for athletes involved in professional figure skating. These elements are the brightest, they are performed on the ice in all disciplines. Only figure skaters who have chosen sports dancing as their main activity work without jumping. According to experienced athletes, a jump in figure skating gives sharpness to sensations and requires not only beauty, but also high quality performance.

What are skaters' jumps like?

Over time, additions and changes appear in any sport. At the moment, modern figure skaters include several types of jumps in their demonstration performances at once. There are six in total. Each jump in figure skating is included in its own subgroup. In total, there are two of them, each with three jumps of a different type. So, there are jumps:

• Costal.
• Toothed.

In this case, the first type assumes that in the process of performing the exercise, the skater is repelled by the edge of his skate (it is called the reference skate) from the ice surface. And the prongs allow you to push from the prong or toe of the free leg. Moreover, any jump in figure skating is specific. It requires the athlete to have special training and mastery of the execution technique.

Possibility to complicate the current performance program

Many athletes can complicate their program by making real "waterfalls" or "cascades" of jumps. As a result, jumps are performed with two, three and four different variations. And only the strongest skaters can perform jumps with four revolutions at once.

What are tooth and rib jumps?

Rib elements include such elements as salchow, axel and rittberger. And for the teeth - lutz, sheepskin coat and flip. At the moment, the most difficult jump in figure skating is the Axel. Not every athlete is able to perform it. We will tell you more about it and other types of jumps later.

Features of execution and history of the origin of sheepskin coat

The first jumps in figure skating with this name were performed by the American Bruce Mapes in the early 1920s. These elements got their name due to the difficulties of translation. So, this is not one, but two words at once - toe and loop, which in translation into Russian means “a loop in a sock”. Such a jump is usually performed using the outer edge of the left foot. At the same time, after its implementation, the athlete is in the same position as before the jump.

What is a flip?

As you already understood, the performance of jumps in figure skating has its own history. So, the second most difficult element called flip was first performed in the mid-70s. As it turned out, the name of the person who first realized it was not preserved.

However, it is reliably known that it was a man, and in women's skating this element was mastered only by the beginning of the 80s. This is not surprising. The technique for performing this spectacular element is quite complicated. It is done from a turn. And then the skater makes a push from the inner edge of the left leg and bounces.

The history of the origin and features of the execution of lutz

Lutz is far from the first most difficult jump in figure skating, but it also cannot be called easy. It is performed along a peculiar trajectory S, and the upward push is made from the outer edge of the left leg. The first time this jump was successful was the Austrian Alois Lutz in 1913.

Jumping rittberger and salchow

Salchow is considered one of the easiest edge jumps. It got its name in honor of the Swede Ulrich Salchow. It was this athlete who first performed it in 1909. This element is performed from a turn. It is accompanied by an additional swing of the right leg, and the left leg (its inner edge) is used as a jerk.

The Rittberger, or loop, was performed by the German figure skater Werner Rittberger in 1910. This is a jump of medium difficulty, performed from the outside edge, but not with the left, but with the right foot.

A few words from the story of the first jump

The first jump in figure skating was made by the best Norwegian figure skater Axel Paulsen. It was this man who first performed an unusually complex spin and landing using cross-country skates. It was in 1882. Subsequently, this element was named after the Norwegian athlete - axel.

What is the axel technique?

As we have already said, the axel is the most difficult jump in figure skating. The year of its execution is forever imprinted in the history of modern figure skating. Its complexity lies in the fact that it is performed with a certain promise forward. Because of this, the total number of revolutions is incomplete.

Depending on the complexity of these revolutions, the axel can be single, double, triple and quadruple. So, a single jump involves performing one and a half turns. Double - two and a half, triple - three and a half, and quadruple, respectively, four and a half. Interestingly, despite the rapid development of training techniques for modern athletes, the quadruple axel is still considered a rarity. Only the best skaters can cope with such a task.

"Flip-over" and "one-legged" jumps

Axel, performed in less than one and a half turns, was called a "flip", "Spanish" or "waltz jump". Despite its similarity to the initial element, this jump is performed without prior grouping, which makes it easier. Most often it is used instead of some kind of connecting element in a long sports program.

In the case when, during the jump, the skater falls on the same leg with which he repelled, this element is usually called the “one-legged” axel.

Features of the implementation of the axel

If we already know the year of the first difficult jump in figure skating, it is worth studying in more detail the features of its implementation. What is so difficult about it? For its implementation, athletes say, it is necessary to go counterclockwise. It is done like this:

• First, the skater performs a warm-up slide on the right leg in order to gain speed.
• Then he lunges, turns around.
• Shifts the weight of the body to the left leg and slowly decreases, squatting on it.
• Then he slides on his left foot.
• Jumps up, slowing down with the help of the blade of the skate and at the same time raising the free leg forward.
• A turn is performed in the air, during which the athlete groups up and lands on the right foot.

Interesting facts about performing difficult jumps

The first to perform the axel after its creator was Dick Baton. The figure skater perfectly repeated this most difficult jump during the 1948 Olympics. Then a jump with three turns, however, with typical errors, was performed by a skater from Canada - Vern Taylor. It was also in 1948. Exactly three years later, Alexander Fadeev was able to repeat the triple jump, but without mistakes.

As you can see, the conquest of the axel, and even then with great difficulty, was given exclusively to men. This element requires an excellent athlete physical training. However, this injustice was eliminated by the athlete Sonya Heni. She became the first figure skater to perform this element without errors and falls. After her, the baton was picked up by Carol Heiss, who in 1953 completed the Axel with two turns. The triple jump in 1988 was conquered by the no less charming Midori Ito. Despite the fact that many years have passed since then, none of the girls and men have been able to do an Axel with four revolutions.