Image Source: Oregon State Athletics
Jade Carey is the reigning Olympic gold medalist on floor, but there was no guarantee she’d make a seamless transition to collegiate gymnastics. After all, she had to learn new routines and find out which tumbling passes she wanted to keep and which she wished to “water down” for floor (since, compared to elite-level scoring, the NCAA focuses more on execution than difficulty). As it turns out, however, Carey has transitioned nicely as an Oregon State University freshman, and on Feb. 13, she received her very first perfect 10 on floor.
Carey’s routine started off with a huge double-twisting double backflip (if you recall, she did this flip in a laid-out position as her first Olympic floor pass). She executed her other tumbling passes with ease: a front full to a front layout connected to a sissone jump, then a double tuck at the end. There’s a bit of Destiny’s Child’s “Survivor” mixed into the music, too.
According to the OSU Beavers, Carey’s 10.0-earning floor performance was the first perfect score on that event for Oregon State since 2008. Check out her perfect-on-paper routine in full ahead.
Oh, JC … you are so perfect. 💫@jadeacarey | #GoBeavs pic.twitter.com/1GOXLtUlBl
— Oregon State Gymnastics (@BeaverGym) February 13, 2022
Carey won the all-around on Feb. 13, making it her fifth straight all-around title of the season, and it was also the second consecutive competition where she scored a 10.00. On Feb. 5, she earned a perfect bars mark against Arizona State. She told POPSUGAR previously that she couldn’t choose which moment — winning her Olympic gold medal over the summer or getting her first collegiate 10.00 last week — meant more to her. They were both special, she said, and both would “last a lifetime.”
Carey wrote on Twitter that having this second collegiate 10.00 under her belt — and first on floor — was an “incredible feeling!!” She further said in a Feb. 13 postmeet press conference, “I’ve been thinking about getting a 10.00 on floor for a long time, so I was really excited.” She added, “After my last pass on floor, I knew that I did everything that I could to do the best routine possible. I’ve been working really hard on dialing in my landings in the gym, and so I was really happy that that showed tonight.”