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Meet The Originators: Cheng, The Vault of the Champions

The Cheng vault is one of the most difficult vaults in the code of points. It is often performed as the second vault for high profile vaulte...


The Cheng vault is one of the most difficult vaults in the code of points. It is often performed as the second vault for high profile vaulters.


Skill: Round-off flic-flac with ½ turn (180°) on – stretched salto fwd with 1½ twist (540°) off

Rating: 5.6


Named after: Cheng Fei of China

Event: Vault

Debut: 2005 Worlds


Cheng's Biography

Cheng is one of the most successful Chinese gymnasts. She dominated every single vault final at the World championships in the 2005-2008 quad.

She also led her team to win their first World title ever, which was in 2006, and their first Olympic title ever, which was in 2008.

Fei qualified in first place on vault and floor exercise at the 2008 Olympic Games. During the event finals, she fell on her very own vault (Cheng), but managed to take the bronze medal.

She had another fall in the floor final, leaving her in 7th place. The then 20 year old gymnast said that she cried about her failure to capture the two gold medals she wanted most until she could cry no more. 

At the last event final at the Olympic Games, the Chinese gymnast won an unexpected bronze medal on the balance beam.

She took most of the 2009-2012 quad off. She retired in 2012 after failing to make the 2012 Olympic team due to injury.

It is worth mentioning that Cheng competed at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, where she finished fourth on floor exercise. She also competed the Amanar vault.


Was Cheng really the first gymnast to perform it?

No, US and 2004 double Olympic silver medalist Terin Humphrey competed the vault in 2002.

Video

China's Gu Zheng trained the vault before Fei debuted it.


Gymnasts who have also performed this skill

2008 Olympic vault champion Hong Un-Jong of North Korea


2016 Olympic vault champion Simone Biles of USA




2020 Olympic vault champion Rebeca Andrade of Brazil



Double World vault champion Maria Paseka of Russia



2018 World vault silver medalist Shallon Olsen of Canada




2019 World bronze medalist Ellie Downie of Great Britain



Other gymnasts:

Jade Carey of USA
Mykayla Skinner of USA (2020 Tokyo vault silver medalist).

As per the 2022-2024 CoP, new elements have to be performed internationally for the first time at an official FIG Group, in order for it to be named after a gymnast.

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