Olympics
How Gymnastics Evolved From ‘Exercising Naked’ to Modern Favorite
Belgian gymnast Nina Derwael during the individual uneven bars final event in the artistic gymnastics competition on Aug. 1.
Photographer: Jasper Jacobs/AFP/Getty Images
Tokyo (AP) -- The word gymnastics is derived from the ancient Greek “gymnazein," meaning “to exercise naked.”
The sport, now among the Olympics’ most beloved events, was born millennia ago, as young men trained for war in the buff.