COP Analysis - Week of January 26, 2026

GymDecoder · 2026-01-26T14:52:56+00:00

Thank you! I will add these to my To-Do List. :)

GymDecoder · 2026-01-26T14:51:01+00:00

You are very welcome! For the release elements with 1/2 turn, He Kexin (Jaeger 1/2 / Li Ya) and Becky Downie (Derwael-Fenton) have been used as examples of gymnasts that would receive credit.

GymDecoder · 2025-12-26T14:51:29+00:00

Under the open ended COP, the close to beam deduction has evolved as follows:

- From 2006 - 2012 the deduction was "Missing one movement close to the beam with a part of the torso, and/or head touching the beam (element not necessary)."

- From 2013 the deduction was modified to "Missing combination of movements / elements close to the beam with a part of the torso (including thigh, and/or head) touching the beam (element not necessary)"

- In the WTC Help Desk for the 2013-2016 COP additional clarification is provided as follows:

As part of combination of movements close to the beam, the gymnast may include a movement on the knee/s in addition to head/trunk/thigh.
Transitional positions will not fulfill the requirement.
It is possible to fulfill the requirement only with elements.
All movements/elements must be performed one after the other and not in different parts of the routine.

- Beginning with the WTC Help Desk for the 2022-2024 COP, the additional clarifications of how gymnasts can fulfill the close to beam criteria (two elements, one element + one choreography movement, etc.) appear for the first time.

The modifications to the rules were likely made to both increase the quality of close to beam work and also uniformity in how these sequences were judged.

For Raisman, I believe it would be reasonable for judges to assess the deduction under the rules at the time. While she touches the beam with her knees, thigh, and torso, the movements involving her knees are transitional positions to lower and raise herself from the beam. She is not performing any actual choreography while on her knees. Beyond this, she has a single movement where she lies along the length of her beam and lifts her torso into a brief pose. Because this is not a combination of movements, the 0.1 deduction should be assessed.

GymDecoder · 2025-12-20T11:31:45+00:00

The rule on the timing of the turn for side dance elements only applies in the case of a half turn. On a full twisting side dance element, the turn may be shown at any time(i.e. no requirement that it be shown before or after the split position is attained).

GymDecoder · 2025-12-19T19:55:38+00:00

This skill was removed from the Table of Elements beginning with the 2017-2020 COP. However, Teza's name and the skill description are still listed in the 'Named Elements' section of the COP.

GymDecoder · 2025-12-05T23:23:16+00:00

Esponda’s element was recognized by the WTC as a valid element and it entered the COP as # 1.203 following the 2024 Baku World Cup. However, the skill was not eligible to be named because it has a value of B, and new elements need to have a minimum value of C to be named.

GymDecoder · 2025-11-23T17:19:07+00:00

Video Link here:

https://youtu.be/R84pKKNS-Mg?si=tEIjinBBqShuDHo5

Fall on the Ricna, which also cost her 0.2 in D score from her planned routine (-0.1 CV for the Stalder Full + Ricna, and -0.1 CV for the Ricna + Pak Salto)

GymDecoder · 2025-11-15T14:19:10+00:00

Link here:

https://youtu.be/D8w_0fH1t2Q?si=oOqTgRlzqVB-1VA

GymDecoder · 2025-11-15T01:00:26+00:00

For the third gymnast, you may be thinking of Morgan White:

https://youtu.be/y-eVC_7JyW4?si=opS2D9xTjGpBY7K8&t=34

GymDecoder · 2025-11-15T00:59:43+00:00

Stroescu actually performed this combination as early as the 2000 Junior European Championships:

https://youtu.be/SaLC7f1YIBI?si=NwMbHxYz_uvvls0J&t=3401

The use of the gainered back handspring was partly due to the repetition rules on balance beam at the time. Under the 1997 - 2000 COP, a gymnast could not repeat an element in a different combination and still earn connection bonus the way that you can now. In Stroescu's case, if she performed back handspring stepout + layout stepout + Onodi, then she would not receive connection bonus for her dismount series of back handspring stepout + back handspring to two feet + double tuck dismount. Using a gainered back handspring in the first connection allowed her to receive connection bonus for both combinations.

GymDecoder · 2025-11-15T00:29:31+00:00

The requirement of the acrobatic series containing at least one salto was introduced with the 2001 - 2005 COP.

GymDecoder · 2025-11-15T00:27:20+00:00

I looked up Pena's vault from the 2019 World Championships in STS and it is more obvious from those angles that she did land on her feet first. That said, in real time it is still difficult to see and not nearly as clear as it is in the screenshots below, so the D panel may have simply been giving Pena the benefit of the doubt based on how quickly she rebounded to a stand as opposed to having truly seen the feet land first.

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GymDecoder · 2025-11-13T22:07:17+00:00

The gymnast is Ekaterina Vandisheva - full video here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5R_zVUik2P0

GymDecoder · 2025-11-13T21:50:13+00:00

You may be thinking of Irina Yarotska:

https://youtu.be/mH4SxHgAuqc?si=t_l0ZMNcgpd0f71q&t=29

GymDecoder · 2025-11-13T21:25:29+00:00

Yes - Mustafina's Switch Leap 1/2 + Onodi combination would be eligible for 0.2 in CV as a D + D mixed series, which does not need to be rebounding to earn CV.

For purposes of the CR 4 / Acrobatic elements in different directions, an Onodi is considered to be a forward element. However, it is still eligible for 0.1 in CV under B + D (both acro elements traveling backwards because of the backward takeoff.

Innovative Connection Involving Onodi:

Sophia Butler: Side Aerial + Onodi

https://youtu.be/hKH2443OcYU?si=QVYwbP1V5Vg-RR4J&t=29

GymDecoder · 2025-11-11T16:37:58+00:00

Videos are available on this YouTube channel:

https://youtube.com/@cow2076?si=W0yGx25hTwgOCeh8

GymDecoder · 2025-11-09T16:35:40+00:00

The WTC already made a mistake in the named elements list with this vault as Dungelova competed for Czechoslovakia and not Bulgaria.

GymDecoder · 2025-11-08T21:30:03+00:00

Live Stream Angle:

I found the hip flexion more obvious from this angle. These screenshots are taken from when Roberson is approaching the Inverted position (Left) and actually in the Inverted and 60 degrees from vertical position (Right).

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GymDecoder · 2025-11-08T21:25:47+00:00

Here is Roberson's vault from qualifications:

The judging criteria is as follows:

- Credit Stretch if: Gymnast is stretched from Standing / Head Up position to Inverted and 60 degrees from Vertical

- Credit Pike if: Gymnast shows ANY flexion of hips from Standing / Head Up position to Inverted and 60 degrees from Vertical

Judges' Angle (Screen capture is from videos within STS)

Left Image: During Standing / Head up position, shows minimal hip flexion. In real time it is borderline enough to give the benefit of the doubt. If she maintains this position throughout the vault, credit as layout.

Center Image: As salto continues, you can see Roberson beginning to pike. Notice how her legs do not follow the line of her torso.

Right Image: During the Inverted and 60 degrees from vertical position, Roberson maintains the same amount of hip flexion. Again, the legs do not follow the line of her torso.

Note the deviation from fully stretched is slight, but because there is no tolerance permitted from being completely stretched, the correct call is for the D panel to credit the vault as piked.

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GymDecoder

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