Bela Karolyi, legendary and controversial gymnastics coach, dies at 82
Bela Karolyi coached several renowned gymnasts, including Mary Lou Retton, Kerri Strug and Julianne McNamara. But he was known for harsh methods of training.
gymnastics
FBI is still mishandling child sex crimes even after Nassar case, watchdog finds
The FBI's inspector general slammed the agency for not complying with reporting rules for child sex abuse, warning that failure to do so leads to continued abuse.
Colombia goes gaga over gymnast Ángel Barajas: From fence jumper to Olympic medalist
Ángel Barajas showed off acrobatic skills as a kid (making the neighbors nervous). This week he became the first Colombian to win an Olympic gymnastics medal for his soaring horizontal bar routine.
How older athletes powered up and transformed women's gymnastics
In 1997, the minimum age for women gymnasts was raised to 16. Some thought it would usher in a less competitive era. Instead, athletes of incredible skill and longevity emerged.
3 Black women create an Olympic first in gymnastics
Emotions were running high for Rebeca Andrade, Simone Biles and Jordan Chiles — but mostly for different reasons — after they prevailed in the final gymnastics event at the Paris Olympics.
From floor routine to vault, here's the science behind Simone Biles' Olympic gold
Another Olympics, another set of stellar performances by the U.S. women's artistic gymnastics team. Thursday, the team won two medals in the women's all-around final: a gold for Simone Biles and a bronze for Sunisa Lee. The medals add to the team's overall count, which also includes a gold for the women's team final. Simone and Suni are expected to lead the team to more medals in the coming days. Each day the gymnasts compete, we are left to pick our jaws off the floor and wonder: How do they do that? So we called up one of our favorite science communicators, Frederic Bertley, to explain just that. He's the CEO of the Center of Science and Industry and our gymnastics physics guide for the day.
Follow NPR's 2024 Paris Olympics coverage.
Want us to cover the science powering other Olympians? Email us at shortwave@npr.org. We'd love to hear from you!
Follow NPR's 2024 Paris Olympics coverage.
Want us to cover the science powering other Olympians? Email us at shortwave@npr.org. We'd love to hear from you!
How a bunk bed acrobat from a favela in Brazil became the #2 female gymnast in the world
Rebeca Andrade grew up one of 8 kids raised by a single mom. At age 4, she showed off at a gym tryout. After her silver medal in the Paris Olympics, Brazil is hailing her as a "national treasure."
What to know about Stephen Nedoroscik, America’s pommel horse hero
The 25-year-old Massachusetts native came to Paris to do one thing only: the pommel horse. On Monday, he helped USA men's gymnastics win its first medal in 16 years — and he's not finished yet.
Simone Biles leads U.S. to a record 7th straight team title at world championships
The U.S. women won a record seventh consecutive team title at the gymnastics world championships. The team of Biles, Shilese Jones, Skye Blakely and Leanne Wong edged out Brazil and France.
Simone Biles will go to a U.S. record 6th World Championships after 'nail-biting' win
Simone Biles, 26, is now the only U.S. woman ever chosen for six World Championships. The star gymnast is heading back to Antwerp, where she competed in her first Worlds in 2013.