Innovation and pushing the boundaries are at the heart of gymnastics. The Yurchenko Double Pike Vault, made famous by the legendary Simone Biles, is one such feat. Yurchenko, known as round-off entry vaults, has revolutionized the sport. Natalia Yurchenko, in 1982, introduced the world to these vaults, which are a fusion of power, precision, and innovation. The Yurchenko family of vaults hinges on a round-off onto the springboard, followed by a back handspring onto the vaulting table.
In 2019, Simone Biles, the seven-time Olympic medallist, had already left the gymnastics world in awe with her triple-double on the floor and double-twisting double backflip beam dismount, both elements bearing her name. However, in 2021, she raised the bar further and made history in gymnastics by becoming the first woman to execute the Yurchenko double pike vault flawlessly in a competitive arena.
Biles, remembering the focus it took, said she reminded herself, “Do it like training. Don’t try to overdo anything.” Astoundingly, she flawlessly executed the Yurchenko double-pike vault and successfully defended her all-around title with a score of 58.400.
Biles’ latest YDP controversy
Biles’ YDP’s unrivaled difficulty score astounded the gymnastics community in 2021. While some judges at the GK US Classic gave it a provisional value of 6.6, others, like former gymnast and International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) judge Emily Chan, thought it might increase to 6.8. Biles, along with US women’s national team coordinator Tom Forster, criticized the D-score given as too low. The FIG argued that they assign values considering risk, safety, and technical direction. Yet Biles continued to face valuation challenges.
Fast forward to 2023. With changes in the international points system for this cycle, the Yurchenko double pike’s value was expected to decrease to around 6.2, and many argued that Simone Biles should be judged for her achievements, not limited by what others can’t do before the Xfinity U.S. Gymnastics Championships. In San Jose, Biles’ coach, Laurent Landi, expressed frustration with the International Gymnastics Federation’s reluctance to recognize Biles’ skills properly.
He emphasized the need to let athletes shine through their strengths and urged, “Reward them; don’t just penalize them.” Nonetheless, USA Gymnastics deemed it worthy of 6.4 for domestic competitions. It’s important to note that the FIG was not bound by this evaluation.
At the Xfinity Championships, Biles, after her YDP received a difficulty score of 6.4 and an execution score of 9.800, with an ND score of -0.5 as her coach was on the podium due to safety precautions. Then, following this event, at the 2023 Worlds and Pan Am Games Selection Camp in Katy, Texas, following her YDP, she received a difficulty score of 6.4 and an 8.650 for execution, totaling her vault score of 14.550.
When Biles and her team approached the FIG for the Yurchenko double pike’s valuation ahead of the world championships, they were prepared for potential disappointment. But this time, they were pleasantly shocked by the 6.4 score. Now Biles is poised to rewrite the gymnastics record books once again. If she becomes the first woman to perform the Yurchenko double pike vault at the upcoming World Gymnastics Championships, she’ll earn the highest start value ever seen in the event. An official from the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) recently confirmed that the vault has been assigned a difficulty score of 6.4 points, which is four-tenths higher than any other vault.
Events where Biles has performed YDP
In 2021, Biles became the first woman to execute the Yurchenko double pike (YDP) vault in competition. She did so at the GK US Classic. Biles, the defending world champion at the time, executed the move with grace, even though she added a couple of hops upon landing. With a 58.400, she won the all-around scores of the night.
The next time she performed the YDP was in 2023, after a staunch comeback from a 2-year break since the Tokyo Olympics. Biles astounded the world once again at the US Core Hydration Classic. Her signature move, the Yurchenko double pike, was the highlight of the event. The crowd went wild as she nailed her performance on the YDP vault, securing her all-around title at the event with a score of 59.100 in AA.
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