Gymnast Follows Up Popular Michael Jackson Routine With New Moves That Land Perfect 10 Score

Jan 16, 2019 by apost team

Gymnastics routines have been getting a lot of love in the last few years and with good reason. Some of the routines that gymnasts are turning out these days show more than just technical skill — they are also an absolute joy to watch, incorporating elements of dance and other performance aspects. 

That's certainly been the case for a number of gymnasts from UCLA, and one in particular — Katelyn Ohashi. If you're a fan of gymnastics, it's likely you've even heard her name before.

Back in Jan. 2019, a floor routine of Ohashi's went viral, and with good reason! The performance, which included a Tina Turner song and multiple Michael Jackson songs earned her a perfect 10 score. But it wasn't just her technical skills that were amazing to watch, the joy and energy with which she performed her routine were truly infectious and showcased exactly what gymnastics is all about.

What's even more impressive is it wasn't the first time a routine of Ohashi's went viral or netted her a perfect 10 score — she achieved the same feat one year earlier in 2018 too! There's no denying that Ohashi is a true talent and her routines are simply a joy to watch.

However, despite competing at an incredibly high level, Ohashi chose not to pursue an Olympic career due to various reasons including feeling "broken" by the extreme pressure, as well as a number of injuries. She spoke about walking away from gymnastics as the hardest thing she had to do but a necessary step if she was to heal. Let's take a look. 

Ohashi's famous routine took place in Jan. 2019. In it, the music began with Tina Turner's iconic song "Proud Mary" before the rest of the soundtrack moved to a number of Michael Jackson hits. Ohashi packed her routine full of crazy challenging moves that really showcased her insane talent and physical capabilities. From the second her routine began, Ohashi was full of energy and landed her moves perfectly. But it was her fun nature and dance moves throughout the routine that made it something truly special. 

The judges must have agreed as they gave her a perfect 10 score. And naturally, a video of her routine broke the internet. It was shared around quickly and since being posted on Jan. 13, 2019, by UCLA Gymnastics on YouTube, it's amassed a whopping 224 million views! People in the comments were in awe of her energy and how effortless she made the whole routine look. Meanwhile, others noted how powerful Ohashi's moves were, as well as how clearly joyful she looked.

Incredibly, it's not Ohashi's first perfect-10 score or her first viral routine. She achieved the exact same feat one year earlier in 2018 in a now-iconic routine that was soundtracked completely by Michael Jackson songs. There is clearly something in the water over at the UCLA gymnastics department! Whatever they're doing, they're doing it very right.

In fact, Ohashi has had four perfect-10 floor routines during her gymnastics career. There is no denying that she is incredibly talented as a gymnast but it's her infectious performative style that truly makes her special.  

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However, despite being so gifted, Ohashi has also experienced heartache when it came to her gymnastics career. For four years, Ohashi was part of the junior national team for USA Gymnastics. In 2013, she even beat out Simone Biles in the championship for the American Cup.

But while Biles went on to be a seven-time Olympic winner, Ohashi had to walk away from her Olympic gymnastic career. Although the accolades in the pursuit of her goals were incredible, the experience itself was damaging. Ohashi walked away from her Olympic aspirations because she felt "broken," as reported by NBC Sports.

She wasn't the same girl that she was when she fell in love with gymnastics for the first time. When she was a seasoned Olympic 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. Ohashi was the exact definition of a "broken" person, both physically and emotionally — she had to get away in order to get better. She admitted that walking away from gymnastics was the hardest thing she had to do but it was exactly what she needed to do if she ever hoped to heal.

Ohashi planned to recover but also hoped to compete when she got to college, and as her viral UCLA videos show, she got to live out that wish. She's no longer competing in gymnastics but her many perfect routines that took the world by storm are a testament to her talents. Just as her gymnastics abilities spread all over the world, Ohashi's infectious spirit proved to be even more contagious.   

What do you think about Katelyn Ohashi's perfect-10 floor routine? If this impressed you then pass it along to your friends and family so they can see it too!