To many gymnastics fans, Katelyn Ohashi is a name that evokes memories of her viral 2019 UCLA floor routine. Others recall something even more unique: She’s one of the few gymnasts to defeat Simone Biles. It was at the 2013 American Cup that Ohashi took the all-around title with a 59.199, ahead of Biles in their first senior international competition. While Biles went on to become a gymnastics legend, injuries pulled Ohashi away from elite competition, making that meet her last appearance on the elite stage. Now, after 13 years away, she is preparing for an unexpected return.

On June 24, USA Gymnastics announced the lineup of the American Classic, which will be held on June 27 in Minnesota. The competition serves as a qualifying event for the 2026 U.S. Classic, and one of the 15 senior athletes selected for this is Ohashi. Sure, her inclusion may surprise some fans given her lengthy absence from elite gymnastics.

But according to USA Gymnastics, former elite gymnasts do not need to get a qualifying score to return to their elite level, allowing Ohashi to return to the national stage. Still, the comeback will be anything but easy.

Katelyn Ohashi will be facing some of the nation’s brightest young gymnasts, Olympic medalists, and emerging elite stars. The biggest name is Tokyo Olympic floor exercise champion and Paris Olympic team gold medalist Jade Carey, who is making her return to elite competition for the first time since the 2024 Olympic Games.

The field also includes 2025 World Championships selection event all-around winner Dulcy Caylor, along with a number of talented prospects such as Trinity Wood, a two-time Junior National Team member; Zoey Molomo, who represented Team USA at the 2025 Jesolo Trophy; and Isabella Anzola, who captured the balance beam title and finished runner-up in the all-around at the 2025 Xfinity U.S. Gymnastics Championships junior division.

Other senior competitors include Aki Tanda, Elaina Sliney, Jasmine Robles, Greta Krob, Addy Fulcher, Tatum Drusch, Ally Damelio, and Amari Celestine. But the big question now is whether Katelyn Ohashi can once again challenge for top honors against a new generation of elite gymnasts!

Her resume suggests she should never be counted out. Before injuries interrupted her elite career, Katelyn Ohashi was one of the most accomplished young gymnasts in the United States. She was a four-time Junior National Team member, the 2011 Junior National Champion, and the 2013 American Cup champion. But her story did not end when she stepped away from elite gymnastics.

Simone Biles’ “double trouble” partner, Katelyn Ohashi, became a viral gymnastics sensation

Long before Simone Biles became the most decorated gymnast in history, she and Katelyn Ohashi were known as “Double Trouble” at national team camps. The two trained together as teenagers and made their senior international debuts at the 2013 American Cup. Yet their competition never turned into a rivalry.

In her memoir Courage to Soar, Biles recalled how competing against gymnasts like Ohashi, “Just being in competition with other junior elite girls like Katelyn Ohashi… pushed me to raise my game. Once, I’d been hesitant to beat these girls because I was afraid they wouldn’t like me if I did. I now understood how wrong that thinking was. Every one of us had worked for years to earn our place in the arena.”

But for Katelyn Ohashi, the momentum of her big win faded away. Soon she started having recurrence of shoulder and back injuries, and with that, her Olympic dream and her elite career were derailed. However, a new chapter started in 2015 when she joined UCLA. It was there that Ohashi rekindled her passion for gymnastics and made her way into the NCAA’s biggest stages.

There, she helped UCLA to win the 2018 NCAA team title. The moment that defined her post-elite career came in January 2019. Ohashi had a flawless 10-floor routine. The dance was extremely difficult, yet fun, engaging, and entertaining for the audience.

Even Biles became a part of the celebration. She commented on the viral performance, “I’m not crying, you are. So proud of you Double Trouble. What a legend.” With that, Katelyn Ohashi ended her UCLA career with 11 perfect 10s, nine of which were on floor exercise, and her last season came without a fall, netting all 31 routines. Many thought that was the end of her gymnastics career. Rather, it was a respite.

On June 24, Ohashi announced she would return to elite gymnastics after more than a decade away from the sport. In an Instagram post, she explained, “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,” Ohashi wrote. “I’m taking it one day at a time; one skill, one event, one dream.”

The announcement caught the attention of the gymnastics world. Among those celebrating the comeback was Olympic champion Jade Carey, who commented, “Let’s have some fun,” and “been waiting for this one.” Even Aly Raisman also commented, “Epic!!!!!! Cheering for you 🤍”

Now, 13 years after her last elite competition, Katelyn Ohashi is back on the national stage. Whether this comeback leads to something even bigger remains to be seen. But with the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics on the horizon, gymnastics fans will be watching closely to see what the next chapter holds for the 29-year-old gymnastics star!