Will UCLA Gymnast Nia Dennis Compete at the Olympics? Fans Are Hopeful
Published Jan. 25 2021, 2:09 p.m. ET
There’s no denying that the U.S. is home to some of the most amazing gymnasts. After all, The Final Five that included Simone Biles, Aly Raisman, Gabby Douglas, Laurie Hernandez, and Madison Kocian won the Women’s Team All-Around at the 2016 Olympics. Since then, the world has been watching the U.S. gymnastics circuit for future stars.
That said, UCLA gymnast Nia Dennis has been getting major attention for her athleticism. She’s known for high-impact routines that are full of personality. And with her latest Black excellence-inspired floor routine, many people are wondering if she’s a shoo-in for the Olympics. Here’s everything we know.
Nia Dennis celebrated Black excellence with a high-impact routine.
These days, it’s pretty easy to go viral. However, getting the attention of celebrities, athletes, and news media alike is a whole other achievement. And Nia is definitely setting the tone for future athletes.
While competing against Arizona State, Nia hit the floor, showcasing an amazing Black excellence-inspired routine. With a lineup of tracks from Kendrick Lamar, Missy Elliot, Soulja Boy, Beyoncé, Tupac, and Megan Thee Stallion, she graced the floor with a combination of hip-hop and gymnastics that wowed the crowd and the world.
The routine scored a 9.950 and helped UCLA to defeat Arizona State.
And Twitter has been singing her praises as fans and celebrities alike, including Simone, have been showing her major support.
"This routine definitely reflects everything that I am today as a woman and of course I had to incorporate a lot of parts of my culture," she tells the Los Angeles Daily News.
So, will Nia Dennis be representing the U.S. in the Olympics?
A talent that Nia possesses is very rare. She has great control of her body, knows how to deliver a winning performance, and can easily win the hearts of many. That said, many people are wondering if the UCLA senior will be competing in the Olympics.
While there is no doubt that she does deserve a spot to showcase her talents to the world, there is no confirmation that she will be competing at the ultimate level. She is focused on finishing her season with the team, after all.
And while Nia has remained tight-lipped about competing, it has only left fans to speculate. Some fans believe that she's destined to join the U.S. Olympic team, while others believe that her being a collegiate athlete is all the greatness she needs.
This is not the first time Nia Dennis has gone viral.
Nia is not new to this, she is true to this — going viral, that is. Yes, the gymnast has gone viral before for her top-notch skills and creativity. And, of course, she graced the floor showing off another Black excellence-inspired routine.
In February 2020, Nia performed a Beyoncé-inspired routine that equally left fans and onlookers stunned. With a series of precise tumbles, leaps and jumps, she performed her heart out to the "Brown Skin Girl" singer's greatest hits.
And while she was also celebrated for her flawless floor routine, she earned a near perfect score of 9.975 out of a possible 10.000. And we can all agree that her performances are nothing less than deserving of a perfect 10. However, she continues to break barriers in the gymnastics world and fans have been eating it up.
Since Nia making Team USA for the Olympics is still uncertain, we'll just have to wait and see if she makes the cut. She definitely has the talent and the perseverance to make it happen, so there's a great chance we'll see her competing at that level.