Katelyn Ohashi Returns to Elite Gymnastics at the American Classic

On Saturday at the American Classic in Champlin, Minnesota, Katelyn Ohashi returned to elite competition, performing on balance beam and floor. On beam she executed a standing Arabian and earned a 13.150 score, tying with Dulcy Caylor for bronze. Her floor routine was a simplified “dance-through” that received an 11.500. The two-event total of 24.650 left her short of the 26.800 combined score needed to qualify for the U.S. Championships. Ohashi withdrew from vault and uneven bars.

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Ohashi’s elite career peaked with a 2013 American Cup victory, where she out-scored Simone Biles in the all-around. She retired from elite gymnastics that year and joined UCLA. At the Bruins she became a two-time NCAA floor co-champion (2018, 2019), a First-Team All-American on beam and floor, and finished her senior season with 60 consecutive routines without a fall and a perfect 31-for-31 record. Her 2019 floor routine went viral, amassing over 250 million views and earning a perfect 10, the fourth gymnast ever to achieve that score in a national qualifier.

Bruins Molomo, Ohashi Shine at American Classic

Beam: 13.150 (bronze, tie with Dulcy Caylor).

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Floor: 11.500.

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Two-event total: 24.650.

China dominates Asian Championships, Katelyn Ohashi returns

Qualification benchmark for the U.S. Championships: 26.800 combined score.

China dominates Asian Championships, Katelyn Ohashi returns

Ohashi’s return marks the first elite appearance by a former NCAA champion in more than a decade, illustrating a pathway from collegiate success back to international-level competition. Her high-profile comeback draws widespread media attention and may encourage other former collegiate gymnasts to consider elite returns, thereby expanding the talent pool for U.S. gymnastics.

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Ohashi confirmed she will train with Pacific Reign gymnastics for her comeback. Competition officials noted that she will have another chance to reach the 26.800 qualification mark at the U.S. Classic in Hartford, Connecticut, scheduled for July.

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• “After a few years of contemplating whether I wanted to continue chasing a dream I had as a little kid, I have decided to go for it,” — Katelyn Ohashi, Instagram post

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• “I'm taking it one day at a time; one skill, one event, one dream.” — Katelyn Ohashi, Instagram post

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• “I'm taking it one day at a time; one skill, one event, one dream. I don't have any regrets in my career and I want to be able to continue saying that no matter what happens.” — Katelyn Ohashi, Instagram post

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• “She had a great day, the highlight of which for me was her first pass on floor, which has left me cross-eyed: a whip half into a front double twist into a front tuck.” — Unnamed commentator, The IX Sports

China dominates Asian Championships, Katelyn Ohashi returns

Ohashi is slated to compete at the U.S. Classic in Hartford, Connecticut, in July 2026. A successful performance could secure her spot at the U.S. Championships in August and keep her in contention for future national team selections.

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