âItâs a floor party for a reason. Itâs the best show in LA for a reason,â said senior Jordan Chiles on the podium after the meet.
Ahead of the fourth and final rotation, UCLA gymnastics was trailing its opponent. The floor exercise has been a strength for the Bruins throughout the season.
No. 4 UCLA gymnastics (9-2, 5-0 Big Ten) defeated No. 9 Michigan (5-3, 2-3 Big Ten) 197.725-196.975 in a Big Ten matchup Saturday in front of a season-high crowd of 10,032.
Two-time Olympic gymnast Jordan Chiles earned her fifth perfect 10 in five weeks on floor to close out the meet and secure the UCLA victory. After saluting the judges and exchanging high fives and hugs with her teammates, the Houston native saw her perfect 10 posted and collapsed. She then got up and walked around the floor, making a heart gesture toward the crowd.
Chilesâs routine capped a floor lineup that featured clean lines and stuck landings.
âThat collapse was like a huge relief, like man, I keep doing it over and over again,â Chiles said. âAnd you know, not every routine, I think that you know itâs perfect in my head, but to the judges, itâs perfect to them. So it just means everything, and I just keep stacking them.â
Chiles added: âThat was my goal, right? I literally said I want to break the records so im just gonna keep doing it the best I can.â
UCLA gymnastics head coach Janelle McDonald said Chiles has been a source of energy for the team in moments. McDonald also said Chiles was under the weather this past week and was not able to practice much. Chiles still delivered the same results after being sick.
Chiles won the all-around, and teammate Tiana Sumanaserkera also posted strong scores. Sumanaserkera won vault with a 9.900, the highest score on the team. Vault was UCLAâs first rotation, and Sumanaserkera opened with a strong performance. She earned three 9.900s: on vault, bars and floor.
Nola Matthews tied for second place on uneven bars with a career-high 9.925, and Ashlee Sullivan contributed three scores of 9.850 or higher, including a 9.900 on uneven bars.
Sumanaserkera, a freshman, said the transition from elite to college has been an adjustment.
âIt is a big difference coming from elite going straight to college and competing every weekend, you know,â Sumanaserkera said. âBut I think I lean on my teammates and my coaches a lot.â
UCLAâs second event was the uneven bars. After the meet, Chiles said she approached her bar routine more nonchalantly than usual after seeing the team already had five stuck landings. McDonald said she was âvery excited about the bar landings today.â
The teamâs landings set the tone from senior Ciena Alipio to Chiles. UCLA showed strong execution on bars, including pointed toes and straight handstands.
It was also alumni night. When asked about the gymnasts who came before them, Chiles and Sumanaserkera said alumni left a legacy for the program. They also said the diversity of the team and its alumni is meaningful to them. Chiles said alumni laid the groundwork for athletes to express themselves, and Sumanaserkera said she has felt welcomed as a Sri Lankan American at UCLA.
UCLA will next compete at Illinois on Sunday, Feb. 22, at 2 p.m. PST.