“Was Told I Looked Like I Swallowed an Elephant or a Pig”: 25-Year-Old American Gymnast Confessed Being Openly Body-Shamed by Coaches in 2019

Published 01/06/2023, 11:15 AM EST
Former artistic gymnast, Katelyn Ohashi, tasted success early on in her life. However, her way to the top was full of hardships. Not only was she body-shamed by her coach, but it also led to her developing an eating disorder at the young age of 14.
In an interview in 2019, Ohashi gave a detailed account of what life was like as a young teenager aspiring to be a professional gymnast. She also spoke about her struggles and the life-changing surgery she went through that led her to leave the world of artistic gymnastics.
Katelyn Ohashi talked about her eating disorder
ADVERTISEMENT Article continues below this ad
The former artistic gymnast, Katelyn Ohashi, was just 14 years old when she developed an eating disorder. In an interview with Marie Claire in 2019, Ohashi opened up about what she went through at a young age. At the age of 12, Ohashi qualified for the US Junior Nationals. That led to her undergoing intense training under strict coaches for years to come. However, the coaching style was too much for the young girl to take.
Katelyn Ohashi revealed that she received harsh comments about her body and weight from her coaches. “I was told I looked like I swallowed an elephant or a pig, that my face was the size of a balloon,” she added. That led to her getting self-conscious. Ohashi and her friends tried to come up with ways to consume a minimum amount of calories during the day.
DIVE DEEPER
“I Could Barely Find My Voice”: Simone Biles Was Intimidated by Katelyn Ohashi and Kyla Ross During Early Days of Her Gymnastics Career
“We would measure our thighs and if we couldn’t fit our hands around our mid-thighs, then we’d stop eating for the rest of the day,” Ohashi said. “We’d feel so bad about eating that we would go to the bathroom and throw up without realizing that’s an eating disorder,” she added. The eating disorder wasn’t the only health issue the young gymnast faced.
Surgery and subsequent departure from artistic gymnastics
At the age of 15, Ohashi beat the now most decorated gymnast, Simone Biles, at the American Cup. However, the pain in her body took over the happiness of her success. After trying to cope with the pain for some time, she finally got her MRI done. The results revealed that Ohashi was competing while suffering from two torn shoulders and a back fracture.
ADVERTISEMENT Article continues below this ad
The doctors had advised her to get the surgery done. They had also informed her that she might not be able to do gymnastics again. However, the National medical coordinator of US Gymnastics, Larry Nassar, suggested she should not go ahead with the surgery. Ultimately, Katelyn Ohashi decided to take the doctor’s advice and went for the surgery. It eventually led her to part ways with artistic gymnastics.
ADVERTISEMENT Article continues below this ad
Watch This Story: Olympic Legends Simone Biles, Michael Phelps and Katie Ledecky Hangout with Gold Medals Around Their Neck
Despite suffering from an eating disorder and undergoing surgery because of her life as a gymnast, she did not give up the sport altogether. After recovering, she made a comeback with the UCLA Bruins Gymnastics Team.