Katelyn Ohashi - The Innocent
GYMNASTICS - UCLA - FLOOR SPECIALIST
ARCHETYPE: THE INNOCENT
Day 47/135
Athletic Accomplishments
Despite being an elite gymnast—good enough to defeat Simone Biles and win the 2013 American Cup—Katelyn Ohashi never competed at the Olympic level. Y’all, this is important: she stepped away. Because gymnastics nearly broke her spirit. Not everyone dreams of competing at the Olympics. Some people dream of finding success and fulfillment elsewhere.
But lest you think this is just a participation trophy, nah. It’s not. Because Ohashi is legit. Let’s look at her incredible accolades:
Four-year USA National Team member
2011 Junior National Champion
2013 American Cup Champion
2018 NCAA and Pac-12 Floor Exercise Co-Champion
2018 NCAA Team Champion
2019 and 2018 Pac-12 Specialist of the Year
2019 Pac-12 Balance Beam, Floor Exercise Co-Champion
10-time All-American
But in 2013, after feeling immense pressure to train and compete every single day, after feeling the impact of the intensely toxic culture of elite gymnastics, after feeling drained and joyless, Ohashi suffered an injury that required shoulder surgery and sidelined her for two years. In a way, that injury saved her gymnastics career.
In a 2019 piece in the ESPN Body Issue, Ohashi explained her mindset. “I was forced to back away from the sport, and it was such a relief because I had been so miserable for so long. Since quitting wasn't an option, I thought maybe this injury was my way out. I didn't want to go near the sport again. I felt like I didn't know who I was.”
Fast forward to the 26th Annual ESPYs, where Ohashi won two awards: Best Viral Sports Moment and Best Play for her incredible floor routine. You know the one, don’t you? The one that brought you an intense, life-affirming joy? The kind of joy only possible when someone chooses her own path? Yeah, that’s the one.
Character Archetype: The Innocent
You must remember Katelyn Ohashi’s effervescent, joyful floor routine from the 2019 Collegiate Challenge. Her enormous, expressive smile. Her hair in a curly bob, bouncing with every jump split, tumbling sequence, and Jackson family-inspired dance moves. This routine was LIFE. No wonder it earned a perfect 10.
What you may not know is how unlikely it was for Ohashi to feel that kind of joy about gymnastics again. Until 2013, Ohashi was on course to make the Olympic team. But between the body shaming, relentless training, toxic culture, and injuries, she felt broken. Her innocence was lost. She hated the sport.
By stepping away for a few years to figure out and pursue her own pathway, Ohashi was able to rekindle those joyful feelings about gymnastics by joining UCLA’s team. Her magical floor routine went viral, which just proves that happiness is contagious.