“Soul So Happy”: Enthusiasts Abound in Excitement as Georgia Gymnastics Freshman Records First Perfect 10 in Over a Decade

For the past week’s NCAA gymnastics season, the Missouri Tigers took on Georgia Bulldogs in a SEC showdown. So far into the meet, there have been numerous school records broken and 6 talents marked with a perfect 10. On the 21st of January, it was yet another day of spectacle as Georgia’s rising name, stunned the crowd to a perfect 10 on the Uneven Bars.

It was a day of twists, literally and figuratively on the 21st of January at Stegeman Coliseum. It was a see-saw battle between the two teams with a shift of favor with apparatus. However, ultimately with 197.4-197.050 on board, it was the Tigers taking home the win. Nonetheless, the spotlight for the evening belonged to none but Lily Smith and the gymnastics crowd wholeheartedly agreed.

A ten for the freshman

On Saturday, freshman Lily Smith took to the bars to score a perfect 10 with absolute grace. The score let the youngster become the first freshman in Georgia gymnastics to earn the highest score since 2001. Furthermore, Smith also contributed a 9.950 on the beam and a 9.925 on the floor routine. With that, Smith not only rose to place second in the country on bars but was also announced as SEC Freshman of the Week. Gymnastics Now took to Instagram to share the winning moment. “Women’s GOTW. Lily Smith (Georgia)” the post captioned.

“It feels amazing,” Smith said. “I can’t even put it into words. I’ve been dreaming about getting a 10 on a college team because it is just so different than getting it in a club.” And as the youngster celebrated the gymnastics feat alongside her team, the enthusiasts celebrated with her.

Fans marvel over the gymnastics perfection

Lily Smith’s Uneven bars routine was a perfect combination of sharp moves and a continued flow. The gymnastics enthusiasts adorning a keen eye were quick to point out the excellence it presented. “Haven’t seen lines like this since nastia. she’s got a wonderful ncaa career ahead of her!” one of the comments read. However, the comment wasn’t the only one to point out the similarities between the 5-time Olympic medalist and Lily Smith. “Her lines remind me of @nastialiukin gorgeous bar worker,” another wrote.

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Further along, a fan expressed the happiness the routine exuded. “Her toe point makes my inner gymnast soul so happy! Great job!” It was further followed by “Her lines are stunning.” While the praises continued to flow in over the excellent performance, one of them simply added, “Deservedly so.” With the performance, the youngster added a second SEC weekly honor. And as the first comment read, Lily Smith might envision a glistening gymnastics path.

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