A Perfect 10 Score For Michael Jackson Themed Gymnastics Performance

Oct 08, 2020 by apost team

Are you a fan of professional gymnastics? Then you likely have heard the name Katelyn Ohashi. Back in 2019, the then 21-year-old UCLA gymnast scored a perfect 10 for a floor routine at the Collegiate Challenge meet in Anaheim, California. Not only did Ohashi's score help UCLA win the meet, but her stellar routine also spread like wildfire across the internet.

For four years, Ohashi was part of the junior national team for USA Gymnastics. In 2013, Ohashi even beat out Simone Biles in the championship for the American Cup, as People reports.

As Biles went on to be a four-time Olympic winner, Ohashi eventually walked away from her Junior Olympic gymnastic career. While the accolades were incredible, the experience itself was damaging. Ohashi walked away from her Olympic aspirations because she felt "broken," as she said in an interview with People. She wasn't the same girl that she was when she fell in love with gymnastics for the first time.

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Now that she was a seasoned gymnast, Ohashi felt stressed and anxious all the time. She hardly smiled and rarely enjoyed eating, as she always pushed herself to excessively exercise. Even worse was the fact that Ohashi had to compete with two torn shoulders and a fractured back, as Los Angeles Magazine reports.

Ohashi was the exact definition of a "broken" person, both physically and emotionally—she had to get away. Walking away from gymnastics was probably the hardest thing Ohashi had to do—but it was exactly what she needed to do if she ever hoped to heal.

While Ohashi planned to recover, she also hoped to compete when she got to college.

At the time of the video, she was enrolled at UCLA, and at that time, Ohashi's routines were as powerful as they once were. In fact, one routine, in particular, went viral and is making its rounds on the Internet.

Performing to a medley of music, including Michael Jackson's hits, Ohashi packed her routine full of crazy challenging moves that really showcase her insane talent and physical capabilities. She even earned a perfect 10 from the judges.

But whereas some might have expected Ohashi to continue with gymnastics, especially given her obvious talent in the sport, Ohashi announced her retirement following her graduation from college, according to her website's bio. Regardless of what she does in the future, however, we know that if Ohashi brings the same sort of determination and drive as she did when she was a gymnast, then there's no doubt she'll excel. 

In mid-2019, The Mercury News reported that the former gymnast has used her new platform online to speak out on topics like body image on television and in interviews.

“This ending,” Ohashi said of gymnastics, “has been more than I ever could have asked for.”

Let us know what you think about the performance and Ohashi's journey to get here by leaving a comment. Don't forget to pass this video along to your friends to show them this powerful performance.