Rubén Orihuela

Rubén Orihuela
Rubén and Almudena Cid in Euskalgym 2014.
Personal information
Full nameRubén Orihuela Gavilán
Born (1987-09-07) 7 September 1987 (age 36)
Valencia, Spain
DisciplineRhythmic gymnastics

Rubén Orihuela Gavilán (born 1987) is a Spanish rhythmic gymnast.

Career

Orihuela was born in Valencia, Spain in 1987, and at age 10 he started practicing rhythmic gymnastics, a discipline largely performed by women and girls.[1]

In 2005 the Real Federación Española de Gimnasia (RFEG), Spain's gymnastics governing body, started to allow for two spots by autonomous community in the open modality of the national championship could to be filled by men,[2] but this was overturned in January 2009 following a statement from the International Federation of Gymnastics that "rhythmic gymnastics is a women's sport, and that [the Federation] doesn't have rules for male competition."[3]

After the decision was heavily criticized the RFEG stated that the case was being re-evaluated,[2] and on 9 February it was announced that an official male national championship would be established, using the existing rules for the open modality.[3] The first edition of the championship took place in May 2009, in Gijón. Orihuela was the winner in the senior category in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2016.[4][5][6]

References

  1. ^ "Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique : About Rhythmic". Archived from the original on 18 November 2012. Retrieved 18 November 2012. Women only compete in Rhythmic Gymnastics, although in Japan and some other countries, men also practice the sport.
  2. ^ a b Ferrero, Berta (5 February 2009). "Marginados sin piruetas". El País. Retrieved 18 November 2012.
  3. ^ a b "Rubén Orihuela y Billy Elliot competirán". Las Provincias. EFE. 9 February 2009. Retrieved 18 November 2012.
  4. ^ "Dos valencianos, primeros campeones de España de gimnasia rítmica". Levante - El Mercantil Valenciano. EFE. 10 May 2009. Retrieved 13 November 2012.
  5. ^ infoesport (23 November 2011). "Rubén Orihuela revalida el título de campeón de España de gimnasia rítmica masculina". Las Provincias. Retrieved 13 November 2012.
  6. ^ "Campeonato Nacional Individual Gimnasia Rítmica Masculina". Real Federación Española de Gimnasia. Retrieved 13 November 2012.