Kennedy Baker dazzled the Exactech Arena at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center crowd at the 11th Annual Gators Link to Pink meet when she finished Florida's floor exercise lineup with a perfect 10.0.
Kennedy Baker's Floor 10.0 Puts on Show in Exactech Arena
Tuesday, February 7, 2017 | Gymnastics
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It was the second career 10.0 for junior Kennedy Baker
By: Ashley Milchman, UF Athletics Communications
If Kennedy Baker wasn't a gymnast, she'd be an actress.
It's clear to anyone that watches her compete that Kennedy excels greatly in performance.
Baker says in a dream world, after she graduates, she'll move out to Los Angeles and work in TV and film and maybe even have her own show. But for now, the Kennedy Baker show has come to life in the O'Connell Center. Kennedy Baker celebrates her 10.0 floor exercise routine with the Gators. It was her second 10.0 on floor of her career.
In more than two years, Baker has proven herself to be a dominant gymnast. She notched her first career perfect 10 on floor exercise in her sophomore season. She has no collegiate best score lower than a 9.90. This year, she has two all-around titles in three outings and three floor exercise titles in four performances.
This year's Link to Pink meet became a special episode in the Kennedy Baker show during the floor exercise. Baker was set as the last performer of the final rotation, a spot she's held throughout this season. As she stepped onto the floor, the crowd fell silent in anticipation of what she was about to do.
"Last year I didn't know if that was the only 10 I was ever going to get in my career," Baker said.
She proved herself wrong.
After a moment to process her routine, the entire team alongside every fan in the arena was chanting, "Ten! Ten! Ten!" There was an uproar from the left side of the stadium when the first judge posted a 10, and an even louder roar from the right side as the second judge did the same. The arena erupted into celebration and Baker jumped for joy right into the arms of her teammates.
"When I landed my first pass I thought 'If I don't mess up the rest of this, I can probably get a 10.'" Baker said. "Getting this second 10 has really boosted my confidence on floor and going on in this season knowing I have a 10 under my belt really helps prepare me for the rest of the meets coming up."
For someone with this amount of grit and determination, The Kennedy Baker show could very well be on all of our screens on down the road. But for now, the Kennedy Baker show airs every time she steps out onto the competition floor.
