European Championships 2022 gymnastics: how is gymnastics scored and judged

European Championships are underway in Munich, Germany
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

The gymnastics has been happy hunting grounds for British athletes.

Gymnasts from across the nation are competing in the European Championships in 2022.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The men’s team final will take place from 2.45pm to 5.15pm.

But how is it scored?

Here is all you need to know:

How is gymnastics scored at international competitions?

British Gymnastics explains on events are scored.

On its website it says: “In simple terms, gymnasts have two different scores, the D score (difficulty of the routine) and the E score (execution of the routine aka how neat and tidy it is!).

“All gymnasts begin with a 10.0 execution score which then has points removed for faults such as bent legs, arms and falls.

“Their difficulty score is then created separately by adding up the hardest moves in their routine and marks are also given for specific requirements.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“Both of these scores are then added together to give a final score, there is no “perfect score” , hence why we see scores ranging from around 11 up to around 16 which is generally considered a world class score!”

How to watch the gymnastics?

The men’s team final is taking place this afternoon - the European Championships are being covered by BBC - including on the iPlayer.

James Hall of Team England competes on pommel horse during the Men`s All-Around Final on day three of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games at Arena Birmingham on July 31, 2022 on the Birmingham, England. (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)James Hall of Team England competes on pommel horse during the Men`s All-Around Final on day three of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games at Arena Birmingham on July 31, 2022 on the Birmingham, England. (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)
James Hall of Team England competes on pommel horse during the Men`s All-Around Final on day three of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games at Arena Birmingham on July 31, 2022 on the Birmingham, England. (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)

What happened in the Commonwealth Games?

Team England had a real golden haul at the games in Birmingham 2022.

Teenager Ondine Achampong nailed her crucial final vault to land women’s team gymnastics gold for England at Arena Birmingham on a night that could have spelled the swansong of former world medallist Claudia Fragapane.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

In her first major multi-sports competition, 18-year-old Achampong shrugged off the inevitable nerves to score 14.15, enough to see off the surging Australian team, who had reduced the deficit to a mere 0.05 points going into the final rotation.

But it was Fragapane, a gymnast at the opposite end of her career, who brought the house down with a stirring floor routine that, whilst failing to land her a place in the individual final, proved a fitting send-off from her Commonwealth Games career as she claimed a fifth gold medal.

Alice Kinsella, Georgia-Mae Fenton and Kelly Simm were the other members of England’s victorious team.

England, who were pipped by Canada to gold on the Gold Coast four years ago, started as heavy favourites to regain their title but it fell to a series of cool-headed vault performances to see them safely over the line.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Besides the battle to beat the Australians, the secondary narrative became a fight between England team-mates to secure the two places per nation available for all-around and individual apparatus finals.

Birmingham-born Kinsella topped the all-around qualifying standings on 54.450, 0.3 clear of second-placed Achampong, with Fenton, who finished fourth, the unlucky one to be eliminated.

But Fenton, the defending champion, will contest the uneven bars final after a top-scoring 14.0 ahead of Achampong, who was hugely impressive on what was her debut in senior international competition.

Kinsella, the 2019 European champion, was second best on beam behind Australia’s Georgia Godwin, with Fenton taking third and with it England’s second final place over Achampong by virtue of a higher execution rating.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Kinsella again top-scored with 13.450 on the floor while, where Achampong will join her in the final. Fragapane finished well adrift of the final places with 12.450, but appeared content as the final twists and turns of her career played out.

Scotland’s Shannon Archer had a successful night, top-scoring in vault qualifying with 13.5 and also reaching the horizontal bars final, while she will be joined by compatriot Cara Kennedy in the all-around final.

Related topics:

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.