As a former nationally rated judge, I know how hard it is to award a gymnast a perfect ten. After all, who is really perfect? Over the years, we have had some amazing gymnasts do some pretty amazing routines only to have the judge award a 9.9, or maybe a 9.925. I remember former gymnast, Carly Conroy doing the most incredible bar routine - one judge scoring the routine turned to the other and whispered, "I'm not giving it a ten...I'll go 9.95." Then there was Evelyn House who invented her own vault (and got the skill named after her). Did she do it well? She was given a 10.0 by one judge and a 9.9 by another to average a 9.95. C'mon judges...if they earn it...go ahead and reward the routine....
Well, last year they finally did. David Toussaint did a truly flawless
routine on Parallel Bars and the judge rewarded it with a perfect 10.0!
Later, the judge commented that in the 20 or so years of judging he only gave
out two 10's, the first one was to Olympian Blaine Wilson. Well David,
that is some really good company... I hope your gymnastics career follows that of
Blaine's.
NOW - At the level 5 boy's state meet, David Bryan Whistler performed a
stunning vault. Was it perfect? The judge saw a slight lift of his
heal and scored him 9.95...What? A lift of the heal? Picky picky.
Well, who could complain about a 9.95? Way to go David Bryan. Looks
like that is the closest we will get to a 10 this year right?Not Quite - Brandon Jones powered his vault (into the rafters) and floated down to the ground with a stick like glue. Is it good enough? All eyes are on the judge....YES..a ten...a perfect 10. Holy Cow! Watch it HERE.