Gymnastics adds obstacle-course events

By Nick ZaccardiMay 10, 2017, 2:28 PM EDT
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The International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) approved a new obstacle-course discipline, hoping to introduce a world cup series in 2018, a world championships in 2020 and, possibly, Olympic inclusion.

While the discipline has not been officially named, the FIG partnered with an international parkour group for its creation. The unnamed discipline’s two planned events compare favorably to parkour, while adding a competitive aspect:

– “Obstacle Course Sprint,” an against-the-clock format.
– “Obstacle Course Freestyle” based on performances that will be judged.
“The courses for these competitions, while mainly artificial, are based on real-world shapes found in urban and natural environments,” the FIG said in a press release.

FIG would not confirm or deny an earlier report that it proposed parkour for 2020 Olympic inclusion.

The gymnastics federation already holds world championships for other disciplines that are not in the Olympics, including acrobatic and aerobic gymnastics.

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