Katelyn Ohashi Was the Best Gymnast in the World, Until She Wasn’t | The Players' Tribune

This is what it means to be fit. She's not thin, she's not fat, she's fit. I think we should just stop with all the thin thick and skinny fat, just fit. Cuz fit is healthy and healthy is beautiful.

She didn’t get fat. She went from having a child’s body to having a woman’s body. She’s beautiful!

Her body type is the same as Simone Biles. Compact and powerful, which is what they need to be to perform at the level they do. I've never understood why she specifically was targeted and told she didn't look the "right" way. She's an amazing athlete.

I remember reading Simone Biles' book as a kid and she talked about how she overheard an opposing coach say she looked like she had swallowed a deer. It's crazy how adults comment on the bodies of teenage athletes, and I'd be willing to bet most of the time it's out of pure jealousy.

"I was compared to a bird that couldn't fly" Does a leap that makes her look like she's flying

Her thighs are big but in a good way; it's all muscle, she's been doing this for years.

I remember always thinking how incredibly sad she looked, and no wonder. There’s a huge burden on these kids to be thin enough and strong enough and smile through pain. Hearing from others you are not thin enough or look good enough is heartbreaking. She look beautiful, have always been beautiful and I have never seen her as fat. That woman is 100% muscles. I am very happy she found her smile again. We live once and it is important to spend out short time on earth doing things we enjoy.

It’s so sad seeing children have their innocence taken over something that they once enjoyed without fear. I’m so happy to see this woman staying true to herself and stepping down to enjoy it again

" Fans told her she wasnt good enough" HONEY, THOSE ARE NOT FANS.

she isnt fat WHATSOEVER she is curvy and she has incredible muscle strength. a dream body tbh

Her laugh is exactly the same now as it was when she was a kid. This is what I want, and what we should all strive for in life. Not money, not “success,” but happiness, and fun. Pure, child-like joy, without a single care about what others think. Thanks for being you, Katelyn. Thank you for not letting this cold, harsh world drain that beautiful character out of you, because now I know I can do the same for myself.

Don't know what the standards are but if she considers herself or they consider her as "big" that is pure insanity. She is compact and solid. The gymnastic world seems to be a brutal one at the elite level. If these kids are being abused psychologically it isn't good for them or anyone. Confidence is supreme in this world and if that confidence is shattered or damaged it destroys them. She looks great and competes in college at a high level. You can bet UCLA was happy to have her on their team.

yall i don't see fat, i just see muscles and her beautiful natural body shape 💕

It’s ridiculous how people called her fat. She is clearly all muscle and SHES HAPPY and that’s all that matters. People are cruel but it’s only because they’re JEALOUS. Edit: For all of those people bashing me, a 12 year old for mistaking they’re and their DONE I fixed it! Edit 2: To the people telling me to f—- off and replying that I commented for attention and trashing U.S athletes, that hurts. First of all, just turned 12, and when you swear like that hurts even more. Second of all, I wrote this because I was a gymnast for 5 years and am still a huge fan of the sport, I also know the struggle and how much it hurts to be body shamed. That’s why I wrote this. And lastly, for everyone bashing U.S athletes, you can’t even imagine how hard they work. Skills like Katelyn’s or ANY athletes take hard work. A LOT OF HARD WORK. And to say they are “fake Olympian’s” and that they have “steroids pouring out of their ears”(honey thats talent pouring out) is not only incredibly rude but also very uneducated.

She looks like an incredibly healthy young woman her age. I can’t imagine they kind of pressure from the public. I played sports as a kid with that much pressure from a parent and puberty was simply enough to break me. I quit the thing I loved and I still regret that. I hope someday I can find a way to love it in a healthy way that she has ❤

Much credit must be given to Ms. Val, her coach in college who nurtured her talent and became not only the best coach she had, but became her best friend as well.

"Fans would tell her she wasn't good enough" Ummm.... fans?

"She used to be the best gymnast in the world until she wasn't" I was 5 until I turned 6

As a gymnast, this is so beautiful to watch. I know how brutal gymnastics can be, but also how fun it can be as well.

Miss Val with UCLA is such an inspiration and motivator for so many gymnasts. I first heard about her through Ariana Berlin's story, and just recently got back into gymnastics and hearing about how she helped Katelyn Ohashi is so heartwarming. She has done so much good in her career.