UCLA senior and gymnastics viral sensation Katelyn Ohashi changed her floor routine for the Pac-12 Championships.
She removed music from Michael Jackson following the release of "Leaving Neverland," the documentary in which two men claimed Jackson sexually abused them as children, Ohashi told ESPNW in an interview.
With her new routine, Ohashi scored a perfect 10 again.
Ohashi's perfect 10 floor routine during a Pac-12 meet in January earned more than 43 million views on UCLA Gymnastics' Twitter account, 36 million views on UCLA Athletics' YouTube and more than 117 million views across various platforms, according to the Pac-12.
During that lauded viral routine, Ohashi performed complex choreography to various Michael Jackson songs including "Remember the Time" and "The Way You Make Me Feel."
"The goal of my routine is pure joy, and after the documentary, not everyone was feeling that way, and you can never discredit someone's feelings," Ohashi said.
Ohashi added music from Janet Jackson, Tina Turner and Beyoncé instead in her final Pac-12 event, in a nod to female vocalists.
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"I think a different style of dancing," Ohashi said about the routine. "I had done Michael Jackson the last two years, so this showcases a different style of dancing for me. It's a more pop style of dancing."
Ohashi added, "I hope that by changing my routine, I can be remembered for being more than a gymnast. It's about understanding issues and having a bigger platform than just the sport."
Ohashi scored a perfect 10 Saturday when she debuted her new routine in her final Pac-12 appearance, tying fellow Bruin Kyla Ross for first place at the Pac-12 Championships. UCLA Gymnastics claimed back-to-back Pac-12 championships over the weekend, and Ohashi was also named the conference's Specialist of the Year.
With the win, Ohashi and the Bruins qualified for the NCAA Gymnastics Championships, where she expects to perform her new routine again. The full competition schedule can be found here.
