Meet The Originators: Handspring One And A Half Forward Twisting Layout (Rudi) Vault

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A handspring one and a half forward twisting layout, also known as Rudi, is one of the most difficult vaults in women's gymnastics. It is often performed by vault specialists.

Skill: Handspring on forward layout with a one and a half twist.

Rating:  5.8 (2017-2020 CoP), 6.2 (2013-2016 CoP).

Named after: Oksana Chusovitina of Uzbekistan

Event: Vault

Debut: 2002 World championships

Chusovitina's Biography

Oksana Chusovitina is a competitive gymnast from Uzbekistan, born in 1975. She competed for the Soviet Union until 1992, Uzbekistan from 1993 to 2006 and from 2013 - present, and Germany from 2006 to 2012.

Chusovitina's elite gymnastics career has spanned more than 20 years. She is the only female gymnast to ever compete at six Olympic games. She has won a total of fourteen medals on vault at Olympic games, World and European championships. Ten of them were won at Olympics and Worlds making her the most decorated gymnast on vault. She also holds the record for the most individual world championships medals on a single event.

In addition to the medals she won on vault, Oksana is a gold medalist with her team at Barcelona Olympics in 1992 and the 1991 World champion on floor exercise and with her team.

Oksana who is the oldest competitive gymnast, is one of a few gymnasts who returned to competition after childbirth. Her last medals at major international competitions were a silver on vault at 2011 Worlds and 2012 Europeans.

Oksana stated that she plans to compete for her native country at the upcoming Olympic games.

The veteran gymnast has two more skills named after her in the CoP, a full twisting double layout on floor and a hop full pirouette and full twisting double layout dismount on uneven bars.




But was Chusovitina the first gymnast to ever perform it?

No, US Vanessa Alter performed the vault in 1999.

 


Gymnast who have also performed that vault

Alicia Sacramone of USA, 2010 World vault champion.




Janine Berger of Germany, Olympic vault finalist.





Ariella Kaeslin of Switzerland, 2009 European vault champion and World vault silver medalist.

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Wang Tiantian of China

Other gymnasts:

Canada's Ellie Black

Swiss Giulia Steingruber


Written by Gigi Khazback Farid