At the 2025 West Point Open, Kameron Nelson of Ohio State made history as the first known athlete to perform two triple back variations in a single floor routine. Nelson opened with a triple back pike (Nagornyy, "J" value) and followed it with a triple back tuck (Liukin, "I" value).

Competing during the team finals on Friday, January 10, Nelson began his routine with the triple back pike, after a round-off back handspring to generate the necessary power. While the skill incurred some execution (E-score) deductions, including a large step forward on the landing and some visible foot separation during the flips. Within seconds, Nelson transitioned into the triple back tuck. His execution was notably cleaner, marked by a controlled landing with just a small hop. While there may have been slight deductions for a low chest position on the landing and a "cowboy" technique during the flips, the overall performance was smooth and confident.

Reactions and Rankings

The news of the achievement sparked strong reactions within the gymnastics community, including from Olympic medalist Frederick Richard, who described the routine’s composition as nothing short of “wild.”

With these two skills, Nelson’s routine, which also included six additional challenging elements—a front layout-full to double front and a double-double (double-twisting double back tuck) dismount—achieved an impressive difficulty score of 6.2. While his execution score was slightly lower due to errors on the mount, a low landing on the double front, and minor mistakes on the dismount, he still managed to deliver strong, high landings throughout. His stamina and ability to complete such a demanding routine were equally impressive.

Nelson's final score of 13.80 was not only the highest at the West Point Open but also the top score achieved by any collegiate gymnast during the first week of competition. This marked the debut of the NCAA’s new 2025–2028 Code of Points, and while it remains to be seen how this score will rank as the season progresses, it’s evident that Nelson has the potential to raise it even higher as the year unfolds.

New Code of Points

This competition marks not only one of the first events of the year but also among the first to utilize the 2025-2028 Code of Points. As a result, there is still uncertainty about what defines a "good" score—both in terms of total scores and difficulty scores. However, this routine may offer a glimpse of what a top score could look like under the new guidelines.

Two significant changes to the code are impacting routine composition. First, routines are now limited to eight skills. Second, connection bonuses are only awarded for double salto skills. These new rules are likely to influence gymnasts to favor routine structures similar to Nelson's—single-element passes featuring multiple flips with high difficulty values. This approach could become the standard for maximizing scores under the updated Code of Points.

The rule changes could inspire more elite gymnasts to train and perform triple-flipping skills. Although the first triple backflip was completed in the early 1980s, this skill remains a rare spectacle in elite competitions to this day.