OCEANSIDE — UCLA gymnastics traditionally boasts Olympians. Jordan Chiles, who returned from Paris with a gold medal, headlines a 2025 roster after her worldwide success. However one should not neglect about Brooklyn Moors.
The Canadian Olympian, who competed on the Tokyo Video games, has lurked within the background, ready her flip to take heart stage after battling accidents throughout her profession in Westwood.
“This is the best I’ve ever felt,” Moors stated.
For the primary time since February 2022, the graduate scholar competed in three occasions Saturday — beam, ground train and vault — showcasing her versatility to guide UCLA gymnastics to a third-place rating of 195.250 on the American Gold Girls’s Gymnastics Traditional at Frontwave Area.
“I never thought I would be doing more than floor,” stated Moors, who picked up her coaching on beam and vault throughout the fall preseason. “Elite [gymnastics] was not very kind on my body. So being able to come in here and do three events is such a big thing for me.”
California, which completed second within the 2024 NCAA match, was first at 196.275 and Oregon State was second with a 195.775. All three packages scored beneath their season-opening totals from a 12 months in the past, and UCLA’s ultimate crew rating was its lowest since January 2022.
Moors, who exterior of 1 meet solely carried out ground routines for the Bruins a 12 months in the past, competed on beam for under the second time in three years. She landed a front-tuck full dismount, a lot to the delight of her cheering teammates, incomes a rating of 9.825. The Bruins posted a rating of 49.050 on the occasion.
Again on her specialization, Moors waltzed by her ground routine based mostly on Lana Del Rey’s “Video Games,” nailing her acrobatic sequence to tally a 9.900, tied for finest on the day earlier than closing together with her season debut on vault. UCLA solely scored above 49 on beam and ground. Chiles was impressed by Moors’ efficiency.
“Coming out here being a grad student, and adding events to something that you know you always want to be able to enjoy,” Chiles stated, “and having this ability to dominate and do what you need to do is amazing.”
UCLA gymnast Jordan Chiles performs her ground train routine on Saturday.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Instances)
UCLA gymnast Jordan Chiles celebrates after her uneven bars routine on Saturday.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Instances)
Freshman Macy McGowan, in her debut, notched two 9.8-plus scores on beam and vault — showcasing a Yurchenko 1.5 on the latter — doubtless solidifying herself in a number of occasions at future meets. Chiles was UCLA’s solely gymnast with two 9.900s, a feat the junior completed on bars and vault.
“We’ve really been talking with Macy a lot about just being able to maneuver through the trainings, the practices, not to get hung up on perfection and things like that,” UCLA coach Janelle McDonald stated. “I feel like she’s turned a corner this week as far as being able to just come out here and put her best foot forward.”
The meet didn’t begin properly for UCLA. Graduate scholar Chae Campbell dropped to the ground throughout her uneven bars routine. One routine later, senior Emma Malabuyo additionally fell, overextending her first handstand and dropping from the low bar. Having to rely one of many two veteran gymnasts’ falls, the Bruins began with a 48.200 rating — the Bruins’ lowest bars rating since McDonald took over this system in 2023.
“I was not planning to start the meet like we did,” McDonald stated. “I think they just got a little bit amped up. They had a little bit of excitement, mixed with nerves probably. Those are definitely moments we’re going to really learn from and take with us.”
UCLA gymnast Macy McGowan performs on the uneven bars on the American Gold Girls’s Collegiate Gymnastics Traditional on Saturday.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Instances)
UCLA subsequent competes on Jan. 11 on the Sprouts Farmers Market Collegiate Quad in Oklahoma Metropolis in opposition to Arkansas, Kentucky and Ohio State.
