​Katelyn Ohashi’s gymnastics comeback rolls on as she heads to Hartford, Connecticut, next week. The 29-year-old returned to elite competition for the first time in 13 years this past June, delivering a performance that surprised and impressed the sports world. “I have nothing to lose and everything to gain,” Ohashi said on Thursday. At the 2026 American Classic, she competed on floor exercise and balance beam, finishing third on balance beam. Now she’s set to test her routines on a larger stage at the 2026 U.S. Classic, where she faces the challenge of posting a combined score of 26.800 to qualify for August’s U.S. Championships.
Ohashi notes how much elite gymnastics has changed in more than a decade, and she is discovering her place within the sport again. Her American Classic showing provided a solid starting point for her scoring potential, she told reporters this week. While she approached the beam with a businesslike focus, she found the experience more entertaining than intimidating. “Just being there was so funny,” she recalled. “Walking in, seeing the same judges who judged me 13 years ago—I thought it was hilarious. I was having a blast saying hello to everybody.” Her mindset stood in sharp contrast to that of her close friend Jade Carey, a three-time Olympic medalist who also made her comeback at the same June event. They entered together, but Carey was famously stoic, Ohashi said, while Ohashi embraced the moment with levity.
Carey’s presence aside, Ohashi impressed on her first routine back, posting a score of 13.150 on balance beam. Even as the U.S. Classic approaches with a tight turnaround, Ohashi hopes to debut more advanced elements in Hartford, particularly on floor. Earlier in June, she performed a “dance-through” routine on floor with limited tumbling. Ohashi’s floor work, known for its power and vibrant choreography, propelled her to viral fame in 2019 during her senior year with UCLA, when her perfect-ten floor routine drew more than 60 million views in a mere four days. As a prodigy and Olympic hopeful, Ohashi’s elite career peaked with anticipation before injuries cut it short in 2013. Her balance beam performances during her youth also generated significant buzz, establishing her as among the world’s elite on the event.
Now easing back into training, Ohashi plans to focus this season on floor exercise and balance beam, with uneven bars on the horizon for 2027 and beyond. Her primary goal remains staying healthy, a crucial factor after years of ups and downs in her journey back to competition. “After every practice, I’m always going straight to physical therapy,” she said, underscoring the modern approach she has adopted compared with her teenage years. With the 2026 U.S. Classic in the rearview soon and Hartford on the near horizon, Ohashi’s comeback is unfolding as a compelling narrative of resilience, adaptation, and a renewed connection to elite gymnastics.