Lali Dekanoidze records perfect 10 on bars at ACC gymnastics championship

GREENSBORO –  It's a 10.

Lali Dekanoidze has waited for this moment.

And after two knee surgeries and four years of college gymnastics, it finally happened.

The senior achieved the first perfect score of her collegiate career on bars, her favorite event.

“I feel amazing," Dekanoidze said. "I mean, I don't even have words to describe it. I can't even believe it's real still."

The senior bars specialist scored the fourth 10 in program history on Saturday night in the ACC championships in First Horizon Coliseum, where No. 22 UNC gymnastics placed third out of four teams with a season-high overall score of 197.225. Dekanoidze beat her own career-high bars score and recorded the first perfect 10 in UNC history in her signature event. She also earned ACC Specialist of the Year, All-ACC Championship Team honors and bars co-champion, securing at least a portion of the title for the second straight year.

"It takes commitment and discipline — lots of discipline — for Lali to stay mind and body connected and just do what she does in training every day," head coach Danna Durante said. "What a terrific way to finish the meet."

After suffering a season-ending knee injury in her first season in 2022, Dekanoidze said she didn’t think returning to gymnastics was a possibility.

“It was a really slow progression, learning how to walk [and] not even thinking about gymnastics," Dekanoidze said.

She found a way to bounce back after her mid-season surgery. In her sophomore year, she set the UNC program record on bars with a career-high 9.975 in the first home meet of the season. Nearing perfection, Dekanoidze matched the program-best score three more times, including this season against N.C. State on Jan. 24. 

Perfection remained out of reach. She couldn’t quite break through.

“A 9.975 is a good score," Dekanoidze said. "But it was a little bit frustrating when I [kept] getting that score and not getting a 10."

Before every routine, Dekanoidze said junior Kaya Forbes gives her a pep talk. Then, she takes one final look back at the sideline before mounting the uneven bars.

“Just looking at my teammates before I compete is so helpful,” Dekanoidze said. “It makes me know that they trust in me and gives me so much confidence.”

On Saturday, she only sought to match her “normal.” Nothing more, nothing less. Forbes delivered the pep talk. Dekanoidze looked back at her teammates.  

She went through the motions of the same routine she always completes in practice. 

She worked to think one skill at a time. She controlled her pace.

Then, she stuck the double layout dismount. She kept both arms above her head and saluted the judges, tilting her head before finally allowing a grin to break through. 

Surrounded by the rest of the UNC team, she waited for the announcement of her score. 

Finally, her dream came to fruition.

“Honestly, I wasn't even thinking about the score at that point," Dekanoidze said. "When everyone started cheering, I didn't think it was going to be a 10, but that was a nice surprise."

She couldn't stop jumping. Her teammates embraced her. Some shed tears. 

“We've all been waiting for it,” junior Gwen Fink said.

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