American gymnastics star Jordan Chiles soared to a historic personal milestone on Saturday, recording her first-ever perfect 10 on the vault to help the UCLA Bruins secure a decisive victory over the Nebraska Cornhuskers.
A Flawless Performance in Pauley Pavilion
The 24-year-old two-time Olympian delivered a stunning performance in the Bruins' season home opener at a packed Pauley Pavilion. Fresh from winning back-to-back Big Ten Gymnast of the Week awards, Chiles capped the meet by clinching the all-around individual title. However, the defining moment came on the vault apparatus.
Executing a complex double twisting Yurchenko, Chiles nailed her landing with impeccable form, earning the coveted perfect score from the judges. The move, named for former Soviet gymnast Natalia Yurchenko, requires a roundoff onto the springboard, a back handspring onto the vault, and a layout somersault with two full twists before landing. Its technical difficulty and the power needed make a stuck landing rare, rendering a perfect 10 an exceptional achievement.
Collegiate Perfection vs. Elite Scoring
Chiles's perfect score is a feat distinct to the NCAA collegiate system, where judges look for flawless execution in form and landing. This contrasts sharply with the open-ended scoring system used in elite international competitions, like the Olympics, since 2006, where a perfect 10 is virtually impossible. This means even Chiles's celebrated Team USA teammate, Simone Biles, has never recorded a 10.0 at the Olympic level.
The vault score propelled Chiles to an impressive overall meet score of 39.675, leading UCLA to a commanding 197.325 to 195.25 win over Nebraska. Reflecting on the team's performance, Chiles told the Los Angeles Times, "I'm just proud that we were able to turn around from last week and really [show] what we really do in practice."
From Olympic Heartbreak to Championship Ambition
This career-high moment arrives less than 18 months after a profound disappointment at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Chiles was initially awarded a bronze medal in the floor exercise after a successful US appeal boosted her score, placing her third behind Brazil's Rebeca Andrade and Simone Biles. However, a subsequent Romanian appeal led the International Olympic Committee to rule the US challenge was filed four seconds too late. Consequently, Chiles was stripped of the bronze, which was reallocated to Romania's Ana Barbosu.
In a November podcast appearance, Chiles discussed the racist abuse she received online following the incident, suggesting some opposition to an "all-Black podium." Despite this controversy, the Dancing With The Stars alumna is now focused on her final collegiate season. After leading UCLA to its first Big Ten title and a National Runner-Up finish in 2025, she is determined to clinch the National Championship title.
Looking ahead, Chiles has not ruled out a return to the Olympic stage when the Games come to Los Angeles in 2028. "(The 2028 Olympics) is always going to be in my mind," she stated during UCLA's media week, signalling her enduring ambition at the highest level of the sport.
