Chiao’s Perfect 10s Lead LSU Dominance!

Chiao’s Perfect 10s Lead LSU Dominance!

LSU sophomore Kailin Chiao is on fire, scoring two perfect 10.0s on vault and floor during a recent competition, proving why she’s considered the best in the nation on these events.

The crowd erupted with cheers, calling her performance “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.” It’s hard to find enough words to describe Chiao’s flawless routines. She landed her vault with absolutely no movement, not even a blink, showing incredible control. This marks her 10th and 11th career 10.0s, with two already this season on vault alone. While the scores were tight on vault, Chiao’s consistency is undeniable.

Moving to the floor exercise, the judges were ready to award another perfect score. Three out of the four judges gave her a 10.0, and it was official: another perfect score for Kailin Chiao!

The meet also saw a crucial moment for Auburn’s hopes. Emma Grace Boyd needed a 9.85 on her routine to keep Auburn’s chances alive. However, a deduction for touching her feet meant her hopes, and Auburn’s, were over.

Chiao’s Floor Masterclass

Chiao opened her floor routine with a powerful full-in pass. She showed amazing control, holding her landing before moving to her next pass. This showed the judges just how in command she was, leading to the perfect score.

“I don’t know, if I’m a judge and I saw that guy, I’m going to give her a 10,” one commentator exclaimed.

The replay showed Chiao executing two flips and one twist on her first pass. Even with a slight question about a controlled step, the judges saw perfection. One judge initially gave a 9.95, but the others ensured it was a 10.0, giving Chiao two perfect scores on the night.

Record Watch: Chiao’s Sophomore Surge

While commentators were disappointed not to see a potential 40.0 all-around score, they reminded viewers that the all-time record for 10s is 28. With only her sophomore year well underway, Chiao is making a significant impact. If she keeps up this pace, she could challenge that record.

Analyst Sam Peszek had predicted Chiao’s brilliance before the 2025 season, calling her “the real deal.” That prediction has certainly come true.

Chiao’s Perspective

Chiao, now the number one ranked gymnast in the country, joined the broadcast. She discussed LSU’s approach to the meet, especially as the highest-seeded team with a target on their back. “We just talked about doing our normal,” Chiao said, emphasizing their focus on performing as they always do.

She also highlighted the advantage of competing at home for regionals. “You never get this opportunity to do regionals in your home crowd,” she noted, stressing the importance of building momentum for the postseason in Dallas.

When asked about scoring two 10s, Chiao credited her mental process. “I just do the same, you know, no matter how good of a routine is before me, you just stay with my mental process,” she explained. “I don’t need to do anything more, anything less. And I think just sticking with what works for me and just being confident in my training.”

Looking Ahead: Saturday’s Goal

The LSU team posted a phenomenal score, and their goal for Saturday is not to replicate but to approach it as a brand new meet. “We just need to make sure that we don’t do is just try to replicate exactly what we did today,” Chiao stated. “It’s just going out there, treat it like it’s a new meet day, you know, have the day off tomorrow, get some rest and then come back in here Saturday and just do it all over again.”

In a lighthearted moment, Chiao admitted she was upset about a slight wobble on the beam, even though it resulted in a near-perfect score. “I sure was,” she confessed with a laugh. She prefers sticking landings over perfect routines with less exciting finishes, saying, “I’d rather wobble on something on the beam and stick a dismount rather than doing a perfect beam routine and stick the dismount.”

Congratulations to Kailin Chiao and the LSU team on their outstanding performance. They look to continue their success on Saturday.

Source: STILL PERFECT 🤩 LSU sophomore Kailin Chio scores 10s in vault & floor | ESPN College Gymnastics (YouTube)