Paris 2024 Olympics: How trampoline routines are scored and what to expect, according to an Olympian

Trampolining, one of the three Olympic gymnastics disciplines, features four core events, but only the individual men’s and women’s competitions make it to the Olympics.

New Zealand’s trampolining star, Dylan Schmidt, made history in 2016 as the country’s first trampolinist to compete at the Olympics. He continued to shine by winning bronze at the Tokyo 2020 Games, marking New Zealand’s first Olympic medal in trampolining. The Tokyo Games also saw Maddie Davidson become the first New Zealand woman to compete in Olympic trampolining.

At Paris 2024, the trampolining competition will begin with a qualifying round where athletes aim to secure a spot in the top eight for the finals. Competitors’ best scores from two routines will determine their ranking. In the finals, previous scores are reset, and a single routine decides the final placements.

Each routine includes ten elements featuring somersaults and twists, with distinct tucked, piked, or straight positions during flight. The routine must be performed without jumps between skills.

A medal-worthy score in the men’s competition is expected to be around 61. According to Schmidt, “A good score for men is in the 60s. Some top competitors are hitting 62s, and there’s even been a 63.”

Every Olympic cycle brings changes to the code of points for gymnastics, and here’s how it breaks down for 2021-2024:

Judging criteria

• Execution: Judges look for control and stability. Deductions are made for lack of form or stability, with each deduction ranging from 0 to 0.5 points. The two median deductions for each element are summed and subtracted from 20 points to determine the final execution score.
• Horizontal displacement: This is assessed electronically. Deductions are made based on where the gymnast lands on the trampoline, intending to land on the central cross. Total deductions are subtracted from 10 points for the final score.
• Difficulty: This reflects the complexity of the routine, with each skill scored in tenths of a point based on the amount of twist and somersault rotation. Scores for elements with both twists and somersaults are added together. There is no maximum difficulty score.
• Time of flight: Judged electronically, this measures how high the gymnast jumps, with scores recorded to the hundredth of a second. Trampolinists can reach heights of up to 8m.

Schmidt notes that judging is now more objective, with machines handling horizontal displacement to reduce subjectivity. “Judges used to judge travel, but now the machine does that, so there’s less subjectivity,” he says.

Though trampolining is a smaller sport in New Zealand, its popularity is growing, particularly in recreational circles. Schmidt’s advice for budding trampolinists: “Use the tramp. Don’t let the tramp use you.”

The women’s trampolining competition will start at 10pm on Friday, August 2, and the men’s event will follow at 4am on Saturday, August 3, NZST.