From The Guardian: ‘The gymnast’s unbridled exuberance and joy set off a floor routine that captivated millions around the world as a message of hope to all in the face of adversity
There’s a reasonably good chance you’ve already seen the video of the American gymnast Katelyn Ohashi’s floor exercise from a quad meet in Anaheim last weekend. The two-minute clip of the UCLA senior tumbling and swaying and launching her 4ft 10in form into the air to a frenetic mashup of 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s hits became a viral smash almost immediately after it was posted to the team’s Twitter feed and has since racked up more than 40m views and counting.
Virality is an unpredictable cocktail and the widespread appeal of the 21-year-old’s routine, which earned the sixth perfect score of her collegiate career and helped the Bruins to a first-place finish over California, Michigan State and UC Davis, is not down to any one ingredient. Her technical skill and extraordinary athleticism are obvious – the double layout with a split is a kicker rarely seen on the college level – but hardly unparalleled. Her charisma and showmanship are palpable but not without precedent, nor are the nostalgia-drizzled musical choices of Ike & Tina Turner and Earth, Wind & Fire along with the Jackson 5 and Michael and Janet Jackson.”