Katelyn Ohashi Quotes

Growing up, I was often put under a lot of pressure. Being an athlete, I’ve been dealing with pressure for a long time.

I’ve been told I looked like I swallowed an elephant or a pig, whichever was more fitting that day.

I would have never guessed I have, like, senators reposting me.

Before bed, I just brush my teeth and fall asleep. I don’t usually wear makeup, but if I do, I’ll wipe it off. Then it’s pajamas and falling into bed, no other routine; I’m pretty good at just falling asleep right away.

I can’t control what the judges give me.

The joy had been ripped away from me, but deep down, I loved the competition floor. And I thought, ‘Gymnastics is literally the only thing I have.’

I think what I show is joy when I do stuff, so I think always having a love for what you do every single day is something that I hold extremely close to my heart because I know what it’s like to not feel that.

Floor is where I get to express myself. That’s, like my party time, like my play time.

I won the 2011 Visa Championships, the 2012 Pacific Rims, and then the 2013 American Cup (the first and only senior elite competition of my elite career).

I can’t control what other people think.

Using my voice has empowered me to take complete ownership of my life. So, in return for speaking my truth, I listen.

I think gymnastics can be a really brutal sport. I don’t think it’s supposed to be a brutal sport.

I’ve said before, ‘gymnastics is abusive,’ but now I know it’s not the sport that’s abusive – it’s the culture that was created and accepted and normalized.

The truth is, gymnastics is a beautiful sport that has allowed me to grow and learn invaluable life lessons: sacrifice, dedication, discipline. Eventually, it led me to my voice.

My teammates and my coaches have all allowed me to step into my individuality and not be defined by just being a gymnast.

As an athlete, you learn to keep pushing through the pain until the pain eventually becomes unbearable. Even then, you are told to continue.

You can still get results without abuse.

During my freshman year of college, it became undeniably clear that I didn’t want to be great again. I correlated greatness with misery.

Both my parents had never been to New York, so when they got to go out with me for ‘Good Morning America,’ they were so happy.

For dinner, I like to have a protein and veggies again. But because of my ulcerative colitis, really healthy foods are hard on my stomach. Sugars aren’t good, and I have to be careful with vegetables. So it can be tough to find food that feels good.

I have said that gymnastics can be abusive and brutal. That was my experience. I felt trapped in a world where authority figures were dictating my future.

This may sound shocking, but I never dreamed about going to the Olympics.

I was compared to a bird that was too fat to lift itself off the ground.

I was unbeatable – until I wasn’t.

I think I finally have really taken ownership of myself and me as a gymnast.

Be yourself. It’s really important not to try and be someone else.

I used to hate my legs. Now I’ve learned to embrace them. They’ve allowed to do everything that I am able to do.

At just 16 years old, I was told that my back would never be the same again. My well-being had been neglected for the opportunity to win a gold medal.

You can tell when someone recognizes you and they want to say something, but they don’t want to bother you.

I’ve had two shoulder surgeries.

My mom was a high school gymnast.

When picking my original music, Tina Turner was someone I wanted in my routine because of the strong impact she has had on my life. I admire her courage and resilience.

There’s days when my body’s better than other days. It still gives me problems. But it’s very manageable. Rehab is forever my friend.

Stuff happened in every sport. Every sport can become abusive.

How I’ve always felt is that the fun in gymnastics got taken away from me too soon.