After scoring a perfect 10 during the Collegiate Challenge gymnastics tournament, 21-year-old Katelyn Ohashi’s one-and-a-half-minute floor routine has earned her viral fame.
And for good reason.
The one-time Olympic hopeful danced, split-jumped and flipped her way through a routine to the tunes of The Jackson 5′s I Want You Back, Earth, Wind & Fire’s September and Tina Turner’s Proud Mary. During her performance, she stuck every landing and did her whole routine with a confident and sassy smile on her face.
The video itself has garnered 25 million views in just two days, with thousands of Twitter comments marveling at the college gymnastic’s athletic ability.
Here were some of the funniest, and most relatable responses:
Her stunning routine aside, unless you’re heavily invested in the world of gymnastics, you’ve probably never heard of Ohashi, who in 2013 won against three-time world champion and Olympic gold medallist Simone Biles at the 2013 American Cup.
However, although she was on the Olympic track, several recurring injuries forced her to reconsider her options.
Sharing her story with The Players’ Tribute they reported she “had been competing on a fractured back and two town shoulders,” which eventually caused her to drop down from elite level gymnastics to competing at a college level.
Ohashi also shared her struggles with training burnout and the body image pressures she faced from her fans.
“I couldn’t accept myself,” she said.
“Gymnastics was my worth, my life. I hated myself.”
She joined the UCLA Bruins Gymnastic team and eventually rediscovered her love for the sport, something which was clearly on display while she was performing her floor routine.
“I haven’t been able to feel this type of happiness in a long time. I’ve found my joy,” she said.
“It’s not the outcome, it’s not me standing on a podium with medals, it’s me being able to walk out with a smile on my face and truly being happy with myself
“And that comes first.”
What did you think of her Katelyn’s routine? How many times have you watched it?
Top Comments
Well, she was just amazing. Love the teammates dancing along in the background too!