What We’re Talking About
Gymnastics is our happy place. And during NCAA season the joy compounds. We get to see an artistic display of excellence across the country; and sometimes we even get to witness perfection. In week 3 of the new year we got just that from two of the best: Helen Hu (Missouri) and Jordan Chiles (UCLA).
Helen was the first gymnast of the season to collect a perfect 10 from multiple judges and remarkably, it was the first perfect 10 of her illustrious college career. The redshirt senior had recorded a near-perfect 9.975 three times before this past weekend. Her exquisite beam exudes originality, flexibility, style and precision. You could blur the television screen, change the leotard colors and you would still know it was a Helen Hu beam routine. There are few gymnasts in the country you could say that about, and now none who have a higher score on beam this season.
What a wild past half year for Jordan. The two-time Olympian completed her redemption tour with an Olympic gold medal, was unceremoniously two-per-countried out of the all-around finals at the Paris Olympics after qualifying fourth overall, awarded and then stripped of her bronze medal on floor exercise (the appeal is still pending), wrote a book, jet-set for in-numerous appearances, and finally landed back on the college stage to record just one of two perfect 10s on the young 2025 season. Throughout it all, Jordan has brightened every arena she has entered. Throughout it all, when the stakes are the highest you can expect to see Jordan dancing in the corner. This is the gift we get with gymnastics. A superior and acclaimed athlete spreading joy–and with college we don’t get it just for a few days every four years, we can wrap ourselves in the blanket of this happiness every week for months. While the sport is defined by identifying imperfections, the delight transcends when none are to be found.
Feelings
- We think it’s nice that Georgia also recognizes football players
- We’re wishing Avery Neff a speedy recovery
- Eastern Michigan has our new favorite themed meet.
- We really hope Utah and Ella Zirbes can figure out why she keeps losing her breath
- Sloane Blakely has never looked better
- West Virginia’s plunger crown is our new favorite thing
- It’s refreshing to see someone like Yul Moldauer accepting responsibility for his actions.
- One of the great things about the conference realignment is the new fandom schools are exposed to as they travel to fresh locations
- Clara Raposo’s jumping bean Cats routine enters the conversation of our favorite feline routines alongside Celine Van Gerner
- We said it last week, but now that Elon has done a Nazi salute, we beg schools to start posting on BlueSky instead of Twitter
- Jordan Chiles, Jade Carey and Kathy Johnson Clarke are all waiting for the rest of the gymternet to catch up
Facts
- 7,287: New attendance record by Maryland, which shattered the previous record of 2,207
- Helen Hu scored the season’s first perfect 10
- Jordan Chiles scored the second
- The No. 1 ranked vaulter in the country is Anna Flynn Cashion
- Donnell Whittenburg is headed to EVO
- Heading into week 4 of the season and no team has broken 198
- Michigan State competed in the big arena for the first time and broke their attendance record
- Jayzie Ranger’s double layout off bars is ridiculous, so fast so straight
- Jocelyn Moore soars
- Gymnastics Canada needs a CEO
- Bonus: It’s not too late to play our fantasy game. Join here.
Award(s)
- Best prop: West Virginia
- Perfection: Helen Hu
What’s On the Socials?
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It’s the most wonderful tiiiiiime of the year!
— GymCastic (@gymcastic.bsky.social) 2025-01-17T01:21:13.835Z
Quotes
“Congratulations to the Quinn family. I did talk to Alicia today by text and she did tell me she’s pregnant again already… no I’m kidding.” ~ John Roethlisberger, Jokester
In a moment of jest and congratulations during the Florida vs. LSU meet, John announced that Alicia Sacramone Quinn and her husband Brady welcomed their fifth baby into the world.
♦
“I received the sixteen-month suspension because I had three Whereabout failures. Those failures are on me.”
~ Yul Moldauer, 2x Olympian
Demonstrating what accountability looks like when things are tough, Yul takes responsibility.
♦
“It’s hard to put into words.”
~ Helen Hu, Perfect Beamer
In a post-meet interview Helen is at a loss for words.
♦♦♦
What? You want even more? Join Club Gym Nerd and you get a bonus episode, College & Cocktails, every weekend after our meet of the week. Once the NCAA season is over you continue to get a weekly bonus episode every Friday afternoon. Plus you get access to all of our archives, exclusive content and more. Then we give the sober analysis on Monday (or Tuesday) after we’ve allowed the data to penetrate our feelings.
This column was composed and compiled by Steve Cooper, Editor, GymCastic; as performed by hosts Jessica O’Beirne and Spencer Barnes.
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