Welp, this post made a lot more sense when the Olympics was actually going to happen this summer but it’s what I had planned and next year I turn 30 so I didn’t want to do it then.

Today is 29th birthday and I’m back with with my annual birthday post. (Side note: I will probably be back with some book updates sooner rather than later). Here are all of them if you want to check out the other ones 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28.

If you don’t know this about me, I am a HUGE gymnastics fan. I watched Carly Patterson win the All Around in 2004 and I was hooked. After 2016, I started following the sport more closely and have even gotten into college gymnastics. I got to a meet in January and I loved every second. I put together a list of some of my favorite routines and gymnasts.

1. Simone Biles: 2019 Floor Routine (All Around Final at Worlds)

I picked this one because she does the mic drop. All hail the queen of gymnastics. The triple double (two flips, three twists) at the end of her first pass is just incredible, it’s the called the Biles II because she already has one move named after her. She’s the GOAT for a reason.

2. Simone Biles: 2018 Vault (The Biles at Worlds)

Because she’s the GOAT she getting two. This is the Biles Vault that she got named after herself at 2018 Worlds.

3. Carly Patterson: 2004 Balance Beam (All Around Final at the Olympics)

I told you Carly started it all and she was the best on beam. Her beam dismount is still one of harder dismounts.

4. Nastia Liukin: 2008 Uneven Bars (All Around Final at the Olympics)

It’s not one of my lists if it doesn’t have Nastia’s bars on it. She’s one of my favorite gymnasts and her memoir is my all time favorite.

5. Shawn Johnson: 2008 Balance Beam (Event Finals at the Olympics)

This is Shawn’s gold medal routine from the Olympics. I was a HUGE Shawn in 2008 and I was so mad when Nastia beat her in the all around but she finally won her gold medal on beam.

6. Jordan Wieber: 2012 Floor Exercise (Team Final at the Olympics)

I have so much respect for this woman who is currently the head coach at Arkansas. She was an incredible gymnast who didn’t have the Olympics she wanted but floor was always her best event. (If you’re interested in more of her story, check out her Ted Talk.)

7. McKayla Maroney: 2012 Vault (Team Final at the Olympics)

This is THE vault. McKayla was a vault specialist and this is the closest anyone has gotten to a perfect score since the introduction of the open-ended code of points. (If you like gymnastics and want to learn more about the scoring, check out this book, it’s a fascinating read.)

8. Gabby Douglas: 2012 Uneven Bars (National Championships, Day 2)

Gabby Douglas would go on to win the All Around at the Olympics. Her bars were incredible; they called her the flying squirrel for a reason. She gets so high above the bars on her releases.

9. Laurie Hernadez: 2016 Floor Exercise (Team Final at the Olympics)

Laurie was called the human emoji because her facials during floor. Enjoy!

10. Madison Kocian: 2016 Uneven Bars (Qualifications at the Olympics)

Madison Kocian would go on to be a part of UCLA’s team but her bars at the 2016 Olympics were stellar.

11. Aly Raisman: 2016 Floor Excerise (All Around Final at the Olympics)

Aly is a two-time Olympian and this is her floor routine from 2016. She had tied for third in 2012 and because of the tie breaker, she missed out on the bronze. Four years later, she would get the silver medal behind Simone. Also, Aly’s book, Fierce is number two on my list of gymnastics memoirs.

12. Morgan Hurd: 2017 World Champion (All Around Final)

Morgan was not expected to win, the other American who was supposed to be the all around final got injured during warm-ups. But Morgan performed well and ended up with gold medal.

13. Riley McCusker: 2018 Uneven Bars (National Championships, Day 2)

Riley is one of the ones hoping to make the Olympic team and she is the best on bars.

14. Grace McCallum: 2019 Uneven Bars (Qualifications at Worlds)

I have loved watching Grace’s gymnastics and her bars are looking great.

15. Jordan Chiles: 2018 Floor Exercise (National Championships, Day 2)

Jordan Chiles. Wonder Woman Leo. Wonder Woman Theme. What more do you need?

16. Kara Eaker: 2019 Balance Beam (National Championships, Day 2)

Kara is incredible on beam. I could watch her all day.

17. Kayla DiCello: 2020 Balance Beam (American Cup)

Kayla is a first year senior who got to compete in the American Cup before everything shut down. She came in second to Morgan Hurd, I can’t wait to see how well she does going forward.

18. Jade Carey: 2020 Vault (Melbourne World Cup)

Jade has all but made it to Olympics by qualifying individually through the Apparatus World Cup Series.

19. Sunisa Lee: 2019 Uneven Bars (National Championships, Day 2)

Suni, my girl. I am a HUGE Suni fan and really hope that she makes the Olympic team. Her bars are pure perfection.

20. Mykayla Skinner: Vault (Utah)

Myk is trying to make the Olympic team after being an alternate in 2016 but she competed for Utah in college and her vault is amazing.

21. Katelyn Ohashi: Floor Exercise (UCLA)

Katelyn’s Perfect 10 routine went viral last year and it is fantastic.

22. Shea Mahoney: Floor Exercise (University of Alabama)

When John and I went to the Alabama vs. Oklahoma meet in January, this was our favorite floor routine of the night.

23. Nina Dennis: Floor Exercise (UCLA)

Nina’s Beyonce Floor Routine went viral earlier this year and it’s so much fun.

24. Brenna Dowell: Floor Exercise (University of Oklahoma)

Brenna is an incredible gymnast who helped led her team to two National Championships.

25. Trinity Thomas: Floor Exercise (University of Florida)

Trinity is a beast of gymnast who competes for Florida and does Elite.

26. Ragan Smith: Balance Beam (University of Oklahoma)

I have been a fan of Ragan since 2016 and I have LOVED seeing her thrive at Oklahoma this year. I can’t wait to see how well she does in the years to come.

27. Kyla Ross: Uneven Bars (UCLA)

Kyla Boss with one of her 22 perfect 10’s. She is one of the GOATs of College Gymnastics. She and Madison Kocian are the only two gymnasts to have a World, Olympic, and NCAA National titles.

28. Maggie Nichols: Vault (University of Oklahoma)

I got to see this perfect 10 for myself and it was magical. She is the other GOAT of college gymnastics and the reason that I became a fan of Oklahoma Gymnastics. I am still sad that we didn’t and won’t get to see Maggie and Kyla compete for the National Title as seniors.

29. Kerri Strug: 1996 Vault (Team Final at the Olympics)

No list of American women gymnastics routines would be complete without Kerri Strug’s Olympic vault that won the Magnificent Seven the gold in Atlanta in 1996.

I hope that you enjoyed some of my favorite gymnastics routine through the years. I have come to love this sport with my whole heart and am counting down the days until Toyko 2020NE.

I’m going to enjoy some chocolate chip cookies, Diet Dr. Pepper, and spending time with friends on this birthday!