Overview

A ""delightful and insightful"" (The Wall Street Journal) account of the controversial world of gymnastics and its scoring system, which has propelled powerful and athletic American gymnasts to the top of the sport. It was the team finals of women's gymnastics in the 2012 London Olympics and McKayla Maroney was on top of her game. The sixteen-year-old US gymnast was performing arguably the best vault of all time, launching herself unimaginably high into the air and sticking a flawless landing. But when her score came, many were baffled: 16.233. Three tenths of a point in deductions stood between her and a perfect score. But if that vault wasn't perfection, what was? For years, gymnastics was scored on a 10.0 scale. During this era, more than 100 ""perfect"" scores were awarded in major international competitions. But when the 10.0 scoring system caused major judging controversies at the 2004 Olympics, international elite gymnastics made the switch to the open-ended scoring system it uses today, which values both difficulty and technical execution, making perfect scores a thing of the past--and forever altering the sport in the process. With insight, flair, and boundless love for the sport, gymnastics insider Dvora Meyers answers questions that fans have been asking since the last perfect score was handed out over twenty years ago. She reveals why successful female gymnasts like 2016 Olympics All Around medalists Simone Biles and Aly Raisman are older and more athletic than they have ever been before, how the United States became the gymnastics powerhouse it is today, and what the future of gymnastics may hold. Bolstered by dozens of exclusive interviews with professionals representing every aspect of the sport, The End of the Perfect 10 is ""the Simone Biles of gymnastics books"" (Slate), a captivating look at elite gymnastics' entry into the uncharted world of imperfection--and how it has created stronger athletes than ever before.

Full Product Details

9781501101595

Table of Contents

Reviews

Brimming with energetic intelligence, wit, and insight-a-page storytelling, The End of The Perfect 10 is more than an instant classic of gymnastics reporting: it's an indispensable read for anyone who's ever wondered what we really mean when speak about perfection. --Avi Steinberg, author of Running the Books and The Lost Book of Mormon

In the engaging and insightful The End of the Perfect 10, Dvora Meyers uses the most famous number in gymnastics as the starting point for an entertaining exploration into the past, present, and future of the sport. Meyers' love of gymnastics jumps off every page, but her reporting and penetrating observations bring clarity to a sport and system that are often shrouded in mystery and controversy An invaluable book for fans, competitors, coaches, judges, and everyone who has ever marveled at some of the most gifted athletes in the world. --Shawn Fury, author of Rise and Fire Brimming with energetic intelligence, wit, and insight-a-page storytelling, The End of The Perfect 10 is more than an instant classic of gymnastics reporting: it's an indispensable read for anyone who's ever wondered what we really mean when speak about perfection. --Avi Steinberg, author of Running the Books and The Lost Book of Mormon

Author Information

Dvora Meyers is a New York-based writer and journalist. In 2012, she provided all of the Olympic gymnastics coverage for Deadspin and Jezebel, chronicling the results of the competition as well as her own commentary. Her work on the sport has also appeared in ESPN, Slate, VICE, and The Atlantic. Her other non-gymnastics related writing has been published in The New York Times, Elle, Tablet, New York magazine, and several other publications.

Tab Content 6

Countries Available