Helen Hu has been taking the NCAA championships by storm. Competing for Missouri, she has been phenomenal in her approach this season. Going up on the beam, Hu’s antics have garnered everyone’s attention. So much so that Hu earned the nickname ‘Beam Queen.’ Surprisingly enough, coming into the NCAA finals, Helen Hu has stirred up a significant controversy. While she did remain as elegant as ever going up on the beam, the score that she got in return was enough to set the gymnastics’ realm ablaze with discontent. 

The Missouri women’s gymnastics program stepped foot into the national championships finals for the very first time. With high hopes of winning the title this year, a lot depended on how Hu performed on the beam. And much to the delight of the Mizzou fans, Hu did not disappoint. With her incredible moves on the beam, Hu looked set to clinch yet another perfect 10 in the finals. But alas! Things didn’t turn out as expected. That is because when the judges’ scores flashed on the giant LED screen, it showed 9.9625 for Helen Hu!

Now, this was by no means a bad score at all. However, with the kind of performance that Hu has been delivering, this seemed quite a harsh decision. Especially when she has already won the national championship on beam. Playing in her final season of college, Helen Hu played a pivotal role in the semis to see her team go through to the finals. With things getting tight, it all came down to the last spot and the last routine to determine the finalist. Florida gave Missouri stiff competition, but it was Hu who made all the difference. 

Going up on the beam at one of the most crucial junctures of her career, Hu made sure she established her reign of dominance. Hu dropped a fabulous 9.9875 to steer Missouri to a total of 197.300, which was just better than Florida’s 197.200. Thus, when the crowd saw such a significant deduction from the judges in the final, they could not keep calm. Demanding answers for the score given, the fans seemed to be fuming.

Fans fuming over Helen Hu’s ‘imperfect’ score for her ‘perfect’ beam routine

As soon as the verdict went live, fans flocked to the comments section to express their point of view. One fan echoed the disbelief felt by many. Helen Hu’s final beam routine was widely expected to earn a perfect 10, especially after her flawless execution and artistry. “Excuse me? A 9.9625 for Helen????”, explained the disappointed fan. The commenter demanded clarity, suggesting that unless specific deductions are identified, the score feels arbitrary and unjustified.

Another commenter bluntly stated, “9.9625?!?!?! Judges must be smoking something good…” Here, sarcasm highlights the absurdity perceived in the score. The fan implied that the routine was so pristine that any deduction seems irrational. Their personal opinion almost hints at as if the judges weren’t in their right minds while scoring the performance.

One gymnastics enthusiast focused on the crowd’s unified reaction, showing how Hu’s score sparked a visceral, public outcry. The collective booing signifies widespread agreement among spectators that the score didn’t match the brilliance they witnessed live. They mentioned, “The WHOLE arena boos…”

One netizen boldly exclaimed, “GIVE HELEN HU THAT 10 NOW!!!!” The use of all caps and exclamation marks emphasizes the emotional urgency felt by the fans. This fan believes Hu’s execution met the gold standard, especially in such a high-stakes environment. They see the 9.9625 as a denial of what Hu rightfully earned. Echoing the very same thought one user commented, “Helen Hu deserved the 10.” Having led Missouri past Florida with a near-perfect 9.9875 in semis, fans assumed she would cap her college career with a flawless 10, which made the final score more jarring.

Amid this, one fan connected emotionally with the performance, stating that another gymnast, Brooklyn Moors too delivered routines of rare grace and uniqueness. However, according to many, they doesn’t seem to get the recognition they deserve. Thus the heartbroken fan wrote, “I cried for both Helen Hu and Brooklyn Moors…” They specifically highlighted that Hu turns beam into art, suggesting the scoring failed to honor the performative and expressive side of her routine. 

Thus, it is evident that the situation around Helen Hu is quite intense. It now remains to be seen what happens next.