The Tigers’ chances of winning their sixth SEC title are increased by an LSU gymnastics freshman’s first perfect ten.
Hit the road, call the shots, and own the night. That’s what has been the method for LSU Tigers gymnastics this season. The methods had helped them to win key gymnastics battles before, and on Friday (March 14), there was another on the list. This time, the Tigers landed in Alabama to face another team with the Tigers’ mark, the Auburn Tigers. And fortunately, this time as well, the result was the same. Full success for LSU gymnastics. But wait. Stories with the Tigers always come with twists and turns. So didn’t the Friday night match have something in store? It had, and it had a full cup!
On March 14, LSU gymnastics entered Neville Arena to conclude its regular season on a high note. Only a thumping victory could be accepted. Anything less would have announced Oklahoma Sooners gymnastics as the SEC regular season champion. However, the Tigers started with that mindset only. In the end, it put 198.200 in reply to Auburn’s 197.550. So, a bid to the SEC regular season championship was secured. But Oklahoma also had the same bid. So, is there anything special to boost motivation? Yes! A massive hit from a freshman who has been consistent this season. But who and what?
Kailin Chio it is! The freshman put a perfect ten in the vault event to help the Tigers secure the victory. And how did her perfect ten come? Through Yurchenko one-and-a-half. Was this expected from her? Yes. The LSU gymnastics fans saw it coming. Anything more on the topic?
The Nevada native has been a force to reckon with on vault this season. Averaging a stellar 9.920 in the event, with a National Qualifying Score (NQS) soaring at 9.945, Kailin Chio has cemented her place as the second-best vaulter in the nation after Selena Harris Miranda for the Florida Gators. But don’t be surprised if she climbs even higher. After all, she’s the first freshman to crack the top ten this season and only the second gymnast to post a perfect score on vault. Yes. There she goes. Nonetheless, keep the patience. A few more pieces are waiting to be connected.
That perfect ten? It was more than just a number. Chio’s flawless vault marked LSU’s second perfect score of the season, following Aleah Finnegan’s ten on the balance beam just last week. In a single moment, the freshman not only etched her name into Tigers’ history but also signaled that she was just getting started. And yet, that wasn’t the only headline of the night.
Chio wrapped up the meet with a jaw-dropping all-around score of 39.650. Impressive? Absolutely. Enough to take the top spot? Not quite. That honor belonged to LSU’s super senior, Haleigh Bryant, who delivered an electrifying 39.775. But the bigger picture? LSU posted its highest away-meet score of the season in its final regular-season showdown. And here’s where things get even more interesting.
Exactly one week later, the Tigers will return to Alabama, this time to Legacy Arena at the BJCC, for the SEC Championships. The momentum they’ve built? It’s undeniable. And as fate would have it, they ride into the postseason aiming for the SEC Championship—a title they’ve claimed five times, and they are looking to add another. Coincidence? Hardly. If you were paying attention before the meet, you might remember what head coach Jay Clark said in his pre-match press conference.
LSU gymnastics coach points out the difference
LSU gymnastics coach Jay Clark correctly knows how things have held up for the program. The program had to see an unfit Haleigh Bryant and an injured Olivia Dunne missing the mat for maximum durations. Yet, he didn’t lose hope! He waited for Bryant to have her fitness back. On the other hand, he has allowed Livvy the off-time to regain her fitness and momentum. Ultimately, he has hopes for his mentees and perhaps this time, some extra. It isn’t what we’re saying. Coach Clark himself brought up the discussion in the pre-match press meet, before the Auburn match.
Coach Clark brought in the comparison between the forms Auburn has and what it once had. In the press meet, his honest confession remained, “Two years ago, I was calling us Cinderella in a wheelchair, you know, and we were fighting for our lives.” The comparison led him to reveal further, “If you go back and look at where we were, I mean, I think KJ was fifth on vault, and we were a shadow of where we are now.” Now, the Tigers have a freshman challenging big names in the nation in the vault event. So, the platform for the gymnastics battle for the ultimate SEC Championships is set. All it needs is to let the fans wait for another eight days. So, keep calm and cherish this moment.