It was her first U.S. Classic as a senior elite gymnast, but Katelyn Ohashi felt “at home” on Saturday in Hartford. Just weeks after beginning her surprise comeback at June’s American Classic, Ohashi showed marked improvement in her routines after a 13-year hiatus, but it wasn’t enough to qualify for the U.S. Championships.
The 29-year-old competed on beam and floor, where she showed improved difficulty and trademark showmanship. Ohashi started strong on balance beam, hitting her acrobatic elements and nailing her dismount to a massive roar from the Connecticut crowd.
Ohashi received a 13.200, the same score she received at June’s American Classic and the sixth-highest score of the night. Finishing her night on floor, she showcased an improved routine with intricate dance elements, earning her second 13.200 of the night to finish in fifth place.
The score represented a near-two-point jump from the American Classic, bringing Ohashi’s two-event total in Hartford to 26.400. Improvement or not, it wasn’t enough to achieve one of her goals.
Falling Just Short of Phoenix
Heading into the U.S. Classic, Ohashi needed a two-event score of 26.800 to automatically qualify to August’s U.S. Championships in Phoenix. With Saturday’s total, her bid for Phoenix fell just four-tenths short.
While her 2026 elite season may have been cut short, Ohashi felt little disappointment leaving Hartford. “I couldn’t ask for anything more. I feel like I had a really solid meet,” she told media on Saturday.
Ohashi and her coaches at Pacific Reign leaned into an artistic strategy in Hartford, hoping to maximize her scoring potential with fewer acrobatic elements. On beam, her team inquired about her difficulty value once receiving her initial score (13.300), but the effort backfired – the judges reevaluated and lowered Ohashi’s score to a 13.200.
“My score went down,” Ohashi laughed, reflecting on the downgraded score. “But you have to gamble, right?”
Joy and LA 2028
Ohashi’s routines radiated joy, a sentiment that overrode any disappointment from Saturday’s result. The Hartford crowd returned the favor, swarming the star with many of the loudest cheers of the night.
“That’s what my gymnastics is about: [being] happy and bringing the joy in,” she reflected. Though Ohashi and her team could petition to appear at August’s U.S. Championships, her immediate plans are out of her hands.
“At the end of the day, [I’m] so proud of everything I’ve done this year,” she added.
While Phoenix was the immediate goal, Ohashi remains focused on her long-term goal: a run at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. On Saturday, she took a confident, joyful leap forward.