The Oklahoma Sooners demonstrated once again that in gymnastics, it’s all about those stuck landings, claiming their seventh national title at the NCAA gymnastics championships held in Fort Worth, Texas. They edged out the UCLA Bruins, who were led by Olympic gold medalist Jordan Chiles, by a hair-raising four-tenths of a point, showcasing just how thrilling this competition can be.
Right from the outset, the Sooners began their routine on the balance beam, an apparatus notorious for testing even the most seasoned competitors’ nerves. But there were no jitters to be found in Oklahoma’s performance; they delivered a stunning lineup, with every score counted on the beam equating to 9.900 or higher. That kind of consistency underscores not just skill but composure under pressure.
As Oklahoma set the bar high, the Bruins made their counterattack on their signature event, the floor exercise. Chiles was nothing short of spectacular, anchoring her team with a near-flawless performance that secured a score of 9.975, allowing UCLA to tie Oklahoma after the first rotation and ramping up the excitement in the arena.
The competition featured an impressive lineup of talent, including five Olympians. Along with Chiles, we saw Grace McCallum of Utah, Brooklyn Moors, and Emma Malabuyo from UCLA, and Amelie Morgan, an Olympic bronze medalist from Great Britain, competing fiercely for dominance.
As the competition progressed into the second and third rotations, Oklahoma showcased their strength, building a crucial buffer over their competitors. A spirited beam performance from the Bruins did inject some drama into the mix, but the Sooners sealed their victory with an outstanding final rotation on the uneven bars— an essential moment that highlighted their depth and execution.
“This is truly a fairy-tale ending,” said Oklahoma’s Jordan Bowers during an ABC broadcast. Reflecting on past struggles, she noted, “Last year was a tough loss, but you have to grow from it, and we have learned so much this season. … I dreamed of moments like these since I committed here when I was just 13.” Bowers’ stellar performance also earned her the individual all-around title earlier in the week.
The night wasn’t without surprises. The Utes faced an uphill battle when McCallum fell from the balance beam, an uncharacteristic slip that hindered their quest to secure their first national championship since 1995. Meanwhile, the defending champion LSU, who entered as the number one seed, fell short of advancing from Thursday’s semifinal, trailing behind UCLA and Utah.
Missouri made their mark by making their first final appearance in program history, thanks in large part to a clutch beam routine from fifth-year senior Helen Hu, who also clinched the individual national title on that apparatus. In addition, LSU’s rising star Kailin Chio secured the vault title, while Chiles notched the uneven bars title, and her teammate Moors excelled on the floor exercise.
Chiles made history as the first Bruin to win two national titles on uneven bars. Though Jade Carey from Oregon State nearly tied Bowers for the all-around title, her chance slipped away with a less-than-perfect landing on vault, leaving her in fourth place.
This year’s championship truly delivered one of the narrowest margins of victory we’ve seen in recent memory, exemplifying the razor-thin line that can separate triumph from defeat—just two-tenths of a point this time around, a reminder that in gymnastics, every landing counts.
