Yurchenko loop

A Yurchenko loop is a skill performed on the balance beam in women's artistic gymnastics. It is named after Soviet gymnast Natalia Yurchenko, who originated and competed the element in the early 1980s.

In a standard Yurchenko loop, the gymnast stands sideways on the beam, dives backwards into a back handspring (the "loop"), grasps the beam, performs a back hip circle and ends up in a front support position, resting on their hands.

French gymnast Elvire Teza performed a variation of the Yurchenko loop with a full twisting handspring in the 1990s. The element is referred to as "The Teza" in the Code of Points.