The vault is a high-intensity discipline that combines sprinting, jumping, and aerial acrobatics, all performed in a matter of seconds. The apparatus consists of a runway (15 meters long), a springboard, and a vaulting table (1.2 meters long, 0.9 meters wide, 1.1 meters high). The routine begins with a sprint down the runway—gymnasts reach speeds of up to 25 km/h—to build momentum. They then hurdle onto the springboard, using the rebound to propel themselves over the vaulting table, executing a series of flips and twists in the air before landing on their feet on a padded mat. A valid vault must include a clear takeoff, a controlled flight phase, and a stable landing (any step, hop, or fall deducts points). Modern vaults are categorized by their entry (e.g., Yurchenko, Tsukahara, handspring) and the number of flips/twists (e.g., double backflip with two twists, front handspring with a 180-degree twist). Gymnasts typically perform two vaults in competition, with the average of the two scores counting toward their total. The vault demands explosive power (to achieve height and distance) and split-second timing (to execute twists mid-air); athletes like South Korea’s Yang Hak-seon and the United States’ Sam Mikulak are known for their high-risk, high-reward vaults that push the sport’s boundaries.