Xcel Sapphire is the highest division in the USA Gymnastics Xcel Program.
- Xcel Sapphire at a Glance
- Who Can Compete Xcel Sapphire?
- What Skills Are Required in Xcel Sapphire?
- What Are the Sapphire Special Requirements?
- How Is Xcel Sapphire Scored?
- How Does Sapphire Bonus Work?
- How Does Sapphire Vault Work?
- Sapphire vs. Diamond
- Is Xcel Sapphire the Same as Level 9?
- Who Is Xcel Sapphire Best For?
- Can Sapphire Gymnasts Move to the Development Program?
- Frequently Asked Questions
It was first introduced as a pilot for the 2022–23 season in Regions 3, 6, 7 and 8. After that pilot year, USA Gymnastics approved Sapphire as a national Xcel division, with the nationwide launch beginning August 1, 2023.
Sapphire lets advanced Xcel gymnasts move beyond Diamond while still keeping Xcel’s flexible approach. It can also be an option for eligible gymnasts coming from higher Development Program levels.
The current Xcel Code has been extended through July 31, 2028, with replacement pages and rule updates issued during the cycle.
Xcel Sapphire at a Glance
| Sapphire Rule | Current Requirement |
|---|---|
| Position in Xcel | Highest division |
| Minimum age | 12 |
| Mobility from Diamond | 32.00 AA or 8.50 IES |
| Entry from Development Program | Levels 8, 9 or 10 |
| Bars/Beam/Floor Value Parts | 3 A + 3 B + 1 C |
| Bars/Beam/Floor base Start Value | 9.60 |
| Maximum bonus | +0.40 |
| Maximum Start Value | 10.00 |
| Allowed Value Parts | A, B, C and D |
| E elements | Not allowed |
| Vault | Predetermined Start Value |
Sapphire is therefore more difficult than Diamond, but it is still an Xcel division with its own rules, not simply another name for a Development Program level.
Who Can Compete Xcel Sapphire?
A gymnast must normally have reached her 12th birthday to compete Sapphire. For a gymnast progressing through Xcel, the current mobility requirement is either:
32.00 All-Around at Diamond
or
8.50 as an Individual Event Specialist (IES)
Only live sanctioned competitions count for Xcel mobility.
This is an important update from the original Sapphire pilot. The pilot used a 34.00 Diamond All-Around requirement, but USA Gymnastics later changed it to 32.00 when Sapphire became a national division.
Can Development Program Gymnasts Enter Sapphire?
Yes.
Gymnasts coming from Development Program Levels 8, 9 or 10 may enter Sapphire under the current entry rules. The gymnast must have competed all-around in at least one sanctioned meet at the applicable Development Program level.
So Sapphire is not limited to gymnasts who progressed through Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum and Diamond.
Can a Gymnast Under Age 12 Compete Sapphire?
There is a petition process.
A gymnast who has not yet reached the minimum age may petition for entry into Sapphire. The petition goes to the Regional Xcel Committee Chair and National Xcel Committee Chair and must include a video demonstrating the gymnast’s skill level.
Gymnasts with previous competitive experience outside USA Gymnastics also have separate petition procedures for entering Platinum or higher.
What Skills Are Required in Xcel Sapphire?
Sapphire routines on Uneven Bars, Balance Beam and Floor Exercise must contain at least:
3 A Value Parts + 3 B Value Parts + 1 C Value Part
Higher Value Parts can replace lower ones on a one-for-one basis. For example, a C may replace a required A or B.
Sapphire also permits D-level elements, making it considerably more open than the lower Xcel divisions.
However:
E Value Parts are not allowed.
This gives Sapphire gymnasts room to perform advanced skills while still keeping a defined difficulty boundary.
What Are the Sapphire Special Requirements?
Bars, Beam and Floor each have four Special Requirements. Every missing Special Requirement reduces the Start Value by 0.50.
The exact requirements are event-specific.
| Event | Main Sapphire Requirements |
|---|---|
| Uneven Bars | B-level clear-support skill at vertical; B 360° circling skill; another qualifying B turn/circle/release; qualifying dismount |
| Balance Beam | Full turn; dance series plus required split element; acro series with flight; qualifying dismount |
| Floor Exercise | Two-salto acro pass; three different saltos including a B; dance passage with required split leap; B turn |
These are only the main requirements; judges also apply event-specific recognition and credit rules.
Uneven Bars
A Sapphire Bars routine requires:
- a minimum B skill finishing in clear support at vertical,
- a minimum B 360° circling skill,
- another qualifying B turn, different circle or release,
- and either a minimum B dismount or the specified C-to-A dismount connection.
The routine also needs the required 3 A + 3 B + 1 C Value Parts.
Balance Beam
The four Beam requirements include:
- a full 360° turn on one foot,
- a dance series plus a leap or jump meeting the Sapphire split requirement,
- an acrobatic series containing flight,
- and a qualifying dismount.
The Beam routine is limited to 1 minute 30 seconds.
Floor Exercise
Sapphire Floor requires:
- one acro pass containing two saltos,
- three different saltos, including at least one B,
- a dance passage containing at least two different dance elements, including a leap requiring a 180° split,
- and at least a B turn on one foot.
The Floor routine also has a 1:30 maximum time.
How Is Xcel Sapphire Scored?
This is one of the biggest differences between Sapphire and the other Xcel divisions.
On Bars, Beam and Floor, Sapphire begins from:
9.60 Start Value
The gymnast may then earn up to:
+0.40 bonus
to reach:
10.00
So:
9.60 + 0.40 bonus = 10.00 Start Value
That structure is unique within Xcel. Bronze through Diamond begin from 10.0 and generally try to preserve it, while Sapphire must build from 9.60 toward 10.0.
For the full calculation, including missing Value Parts and Start Value deductions, see how Xcel Start Value is calculated.
How Does Sapphire Bonus Work?
There are two ways to earn Sapphire bonus:
Difficulty Bonus and Connection Bonus
A maximum of 0.40 total bonus can be earned from either category or a combination of both.
Difficulty Bonus
Eligible higher-difficulty elements can earn bonus.
Each eligible C Value Part can earn:
+0.10
One eligible D Value Part per event can also earn:
+0.10
Additional D skills may be performed, but only one D receives D Difficulty Bonus.
Connection Bonus
Qualifying connections of:
B + B or higher
can earn:
+0.10
Connections can involve eligible acrobatic, dance, mount or dismount elements, depending on the event.
For example, a routine might reach a full Start Value with:
9.60 base
+0.20 Difficulty Bonus
+0.20 Connection Bonus
= 10.00 Start Value
A gymnast does not have to earn the 0.40 in exactly that combination. Different valid bonus constructions can reach the same 10.0.
How Does Sapphire Vault Work?
Vault is different from the other three events.
There is no:
9.60 + bonus formula
for Sapphire Vault.
Instead, every allowable vault has a predetermined Start Value.
For example, the current Sapphire vault chart gives different Start Values to a handspring, handspring with twist, Yamashita and more advanced vaults. The August 2025 chart lists the basic handspring at 9.2 for Sapphire, while harder vaults receive higher Start Values.
That means a gymnast must choose a vault whose difficulty gives her the scoring potential she wants while still being able to perform it cleanly.
For the broader comparison, see how gymnastics vault scoring works.
Sapphire vs. Diamond
Sapphire is a genuine step above Diamond, but the difference is more than simply allowing one extra hard skill.
| Rule | Diamond | Sapphire |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum age | 9 | 12 |
| Mobility into division | 32.00 AA at Platinum / 8.50 IES | 32.00 AA at Diamond / 8.50 IES |
| Required Value Parts | 5 A + 2 B | 3 A + 3 B + 1 C |
| Bars/Beam/Floor starting SV | 10.00 | 9.60 |
| Bonus needed for 10.0 | No | Up to +0.40 |
| D elements | Maximum one | Allowed |
| E elements | Not allowed | Not allowed |
Diamond already permits considerable difficulty, including one D Value Part under the current rules. Sapphire goes further by requiring a C, allowing additional D difficulty and rewarding difficult skills and connections through bonus.
The biggest scoring difference is:
Diamond → starts at 10.0
Sapphire → starts at 9.60 and earns bonus toward 10.0
Is Xcel Sapphire the Same as Level 9?
No.
Sapphire and the Development Program use different routine-construction rules, and USA Gymnastics does not define Sapphire as the official equivalent of Level 9.
In fact, gymnasts coming from DP Levels 8, 9 and 10 can all be eligible to enter Sapphire.
Who Is Xcel Sapphire Best For?
Sapphire can make sense for several types of gymnast.
It may suit an experienced Diamond gymnast who is ready for more difficulty, a former Development Program gymnast who wants to continue competing in Xcel, or an athlete whose strengths fit the greater flexibility of Xcel routine construction.
Can Sapphire Gymnasts Move to the Development Program?
Yes, but Xcel competition itself does not satisfy Development Program mobility requirements.
The current Rules & Policies explicitly treat Xcel as a separate alternative program. A gymnast wanting to enter or return to Development Program competition must follow the applicable DP entry and mobility rules.
For the broader progression, see Xcel gymnastics levels from Bronze to Sapphire and the USAG Development Program levels.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sapphire the highest Xcel level?
Yes.
The current Xcel progression is:
Bronze → Silver → Gold → Platinum → Diamond → Sapphire
Sapphire is the highest division.
What age is Xcel Sapphire?
The normal minimum age is 12 years old.
A gymnast below the minimum age may petition under the current USA Gymnastics rules.
What score is needed to move from Diamond to Sapphire?
A gymnast needs either:
32.00 All-Around
or
8.50 as an Individual Event Specialist
at a live sanctioned Diamond competition.
Does Sapphire start from 10.0?
Not on Bars, Beam and Floor.
Those routines begin from 9.60 and can earn up to 0.40 bonus to reach 10.0.
Vault uses predetermined Start Values.
Can Sapphire gymnasts perform D skills?
Yes.
Sapphire permits A, B, C and D Value Parts.
E Value Parts are not allowed.
Is Sapphire harder than Diamond?
Yes.
Sapphire requires more advanced Value Parts, including a required C, and uses bonus for additional difficulty and connections.
Is Sapphire equivalent to Level 9?
No official one-to-one equivalence exists.
Sapphire has its own Xcel requirements and scoring system, while Development Program Level 9 follows separate DP rules.