Gymnastics is a sport at the World University Games (formerly branded as the Universiade, before 2020). It was first contested in 1961 as an optional sport, and turned compulsory in 1963. Since then, it has been out of the program twice, in 1975 and 1989. In 1973, for the first time, a competition in apparatus was added to the program; it would become mandatory in 1979. In 1991, rhythmic gymnastics was one of the two optional sports chosen by the organizers. It was present with the same status in 1995 and 1997, becoming a compulsory sport in 2001. At the 2011 edition, aerobic gymnastics was also part of the program.
Overall GamesYearHost cityHost countryWinnerSecondThird II 1961 Sofia III 1963 Porto Alegre IV 1965 Budapest V 1967 Tokyo VI 1970 Turin VII 1973 Moscow IX 1977 Sofia X 1979 Mexico City XI 1981 Bucharest XII 1983 Edmonton XIII 1985 Kobe XIV 1987 Zagreb XVI 1991 Sheffield XVII 1993 Buffalo XVIII 1995 Fukuoka XVIX 1997 Catania XX 1999 Palma de Mallorca XXI 2001 Beijing XXII 2003 Daegu XXIII 2005 İzmir XXIV 2007 Bangkok XXV 2009 Belgrade XXVI 2011 Shenzhen XXVII 2013 Kazan XXVIII 2015 Gwangju XXVIX 2017 Taipei XXX 2019 Naples XXXI 2021 Chengdu XXXII 2025 Essen
All-time medal table Note Last updated after the 2025 Summer World University Games
References
Sports123 (1961-2009)
2013 Summer Universiade – Artistic gymnastics 2013 Summer Universiade – Rhythmic gymnastics 2015 Summer Universiade – Artistic gymnastics 2015 Summer Universiade – Rhythmic gymnastics