Kiwi gymnast Mikhail (Misha) Koudinov has invented a new move which has been recognised by the International Federation of Gymnastics.
The federation announced over the weekend that the move, titled 'the Koudinov,' would join six other new elements to be published in the International Men's Artistic Gymnastics Code of Points.
The Koudinov was created and performed by the Kiwi Olympian, who said he had thought about the idea for more than 10 years before he considered it a possibility.
Misha's move was rated among some of the most difficult elements performed in gymnastics. Photo / Getty
"One day I decided to try it over a foam pit just for fun. It seemed possible so I continued to play with it until eventually, I realised I could probably compete it. That's when I trained it more seriously to be able to submit it as a new skill," said Misha.
The Koudinov was classed among gymnastics' most difficult elements and Misha has currently been the only New Zealand athlete to perform a skill at its level.
Misha's move was rated a 'G' which is the seventh highest category in the list of the most difficult elements in gymnastics.
"It took around a month of training to catch it for the first time, but I have been training it without the 360 twist for 11 years," he said.
"I used to spin things like pens and highlighters at school pretending they were gymnasts. I imagined all sorts of crazy skills and this was one of the more possible ones."
"It's such a special feeling to have my element published, especially as it received such a high difficulty rating of G," Misha said.
Misha started gymnastics when he was seven and was the youngest member of the 2006 Commonwealth Games team in Melbourne, where he made his senior debut.
In 2010 Misha took up a four-year scholarship with the Ohio State Buckeyes where he continued to make his way up the world rankings.
Misha was then selected to represent New Zealand at the 2016 Rio Olympics where he finished 16th on vault and now trains at Tri Star Gymnastics in Mt Roskill.
