Preparing for Perfect10n: How ESPN’s Gymnastics Team Has Been “Tracking Trinity”
ESPN is consistently on the forefront of history-making moments. LeBron James shattering the NBA scoring record? Aaron Judge breaking the MLB home run record? Covered. But the tracking of Gator gymnastics great Trinity Thomas – or as ESPN commentator Kathy Johnson Clarke calls her, “Tenity” – has been as unique as Thomas’s performances.
With scoring records in most sports, the feat can be simple math; but the variables that go into achieving the perfect 10 are subjective, which makes the achievement difficult to accomplish. ESPN’s gymnastics production team has had every angle covered as Thomas looks to break the NCAA record for perfect 10s. She currently sits at 25, just three shy of tying the all-time mark.
ESPN producer Cara Lagana has been leading the charge on content surrounding Thomas’s trek, overseeing edits such as Thomas “gymsplaining” what a gymslam is: a 10 on each apparatus. Thomas has four in her career, the most in NCAA history, and is on the verge of both a fifth gymslam and a Season Slam (10 on every event in a single season).
ESPN.com has been tracking Thomas 10 by 10 this year, ESPN social has seen continued success in gymnastics content, ESPN Images was live on site for No. 1 Oklahoma vs. No. 2 Florida, and SEC Network debuted Perfect10n on March 15, a look at the beauty & inspiration of a perfect 10 and how the pursuit for perfection is part of the power of NCAA gymnastics.
A perfect 10 is a language that everyone understands.
We sat down with Olympians, coaches and gymnasts from across the conference to share what a perfect 10 means to them 👏 pic.twitter.com/9HEaVa8GCK
— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) March 17, 2023
Produced by feature producer Michael Holmes and associate producer Porter Dickie, the feature is voiced by SEC Network anchor/reporter Alyssa Lang with insight from Thomas and Johnson Clarke, ESPN gymnastics commentators and Olympic medalists Bart Conner and Bridget Sloan, Olympic legend – and the recipient of the first perfect 10 – Nadia Comăneci, Olympic gold medalist and current Auburn Tiger Sunisa “Suni” Lee, LSU’s Haleigh Bryant – who recently scored a trio of 10s in a single meet, and more.
The postseason pursuit of perfection for Thomas flips into action Saturday with the SEC Gymnastics Championship (3:30 p.m. & 8 p.m. ET, SEC Network). In the event Thomas makes history over the coming weeks, ESPN has specialty content, graphics, interviews and more at the ready, because rewriting the record books is something ESPN is always ready for.
