This month, we had 22 perfect 10s—excluding those that will inevitably be scored at regionals—but as fans, athletes, commentators, and seemingly everyone other than the judging panel has acknowledged, not all 10.0s are created, or distributed, equally. Here I’ll break down the deductions I saw when watching the videos in real time, and rank the 10.0 from one to five stars. As a reminder, here’s my rating scale:
⭐ This was clearly not a 10.0 routine (but still very good!)
⭐⭐ There was definitely a deduction there, but maybe the judges blinked?
⭐⭐⭐ 10.0 vibes, but not actually perfect
⭐⭐⭐⭐ It was a “college 10”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 100% a perfect routine
Vault
Olivia Trautman, Oklahoma (March 3)
Deductions
Leg Separation (-0.050)
Arm bend (-0.050)
Shoulder angle (-0.050)
Leg separation (-0.050)
In real time, the only deduction I saw from the camera angle was the leg separation in post flight and the shoulder angle on the table. Slowing it down, I noticed the arm bend on the table, which may or may not have been visible from the judge’s perspective. Her landing was solid and well controlled, with great height, distance, and dynamics. However, I do think it’s realistic to expect that…
