Missouri Gymnastics freshman speak on their prior experience and goals for the upcoming NCAA season
Missouri gymnastics will enter the 2025 NCAA season with the 10th best freshman recruiting class in the nation.
Their freshman class includes five-star recruit Olivia Kelly and four-star recruit Kaia Tanskanen. While both gymnasts are American born, they each decided to represent their families’ home countries in elite gymnastics abroad. Tanskanen represents Finland while Kelly represents Barbados. Both gymnasts hope to make a major impact during their time at Missouri, while also keeping their elite gymnastics dreams alive.
The two gymnasts were highly recruited athletes with plenty of offers coming out of high school. However, it was the culture around Missouri gymnastics that made them want to become Tigers. Missouri gymnastics’ culture is something that was noted by each gymnast, citing a strong connection among the entire team.
“Mizzou was definitely more of a gut feeling,” Kelly said. “I think the culture at the gym really stood out to me, and I really enjoyed my time here.”
Tanskanen was led to Missouri by the atmosphere from the gymnasts and coaching staff.
“When I came on my visit, I just felt like home.” Tanskanen said.
Because Tanskanen and Kelly both come from an elite background, they are used to competing as individuals and not with a team. Both are adjusting to this change in NCAA gymnastics.
Tanskanen is enjoying being surrounded by a community in Missouri. She is loving the sisterhood aspect of NCAA gymnastics, as well.
“It’s been different than what I’m used to,” Tanskanen said. “Just competing in Finland, and it’s more individually. I really like the team aspect of it. It makes you feel like you have sisters and best friends that you’re out with that can push you to be your best.”
While Tanskanen and Kelly are two stars of Missouri’s freshman class, the class is filled with several high-level gymnasts. The rest of the class includes five-star Railey Jackson, four-star Lisa Szeibert and three-star Ayla Acevedo. The five gymnasts know their class will elevate Missouri gymnastics to new heights.
“When we first got here, that was one thing we bonded over, because we all have one common goal and it’s to make nationals,” Kelly said. “We’re all trying to work together and build each other up so that we can also work with the team and use our strengths to our best ability.”
Both Tanskanen and Kelly competed at the World Championships in 2022 and 2023. Tanskanen competed at the European championships in 2022 and in 2023 where she qualified for the all-around final. Kelly was the first Barbadian to compete at the Pan American Championships and the first to qualify and compete at the world championships. The experience of competing at the highest stage during these meets will benefit them as they transition to NCAA.
“Competing in different countries and other gymnasts from other countries, so it’s different,,” Tanskanen said. “The experience overall has helped and will help me in my collegiate career, and helped me learn how to stay calm and keep myself focused throughout competitions and routines.”
Sometimes the biggest hurdles that gymnasts face is more than just the physical strain on their bodies.
“Especially on the mental aspect of it, because worlds and the elite route is just a totally different stage than college.,” Kelly said.
Throughout their college careers, both athletes plan on keeping their schedules jam-packed, not just with NCAA meets but with international meets.
“I still want to keep competing for Barbados and maybe even try for that LA 2028, Olympics, so I guess we’ll see,” Kelly said.
Tanskanen also plans on continuing her elite gymnastics career.
“I am planning on continuing to compete for Finland, and I would like to do both,” Tanskanen said. “I would like to compete at the 2025 world championships. But right now I’m just trying to take it day-by-day.”
But before they pursue their elite dreams, they have business to take care of at Missouri.
“Definitely a team goal would be to go to nationals,” Tanskanen said. “I know that this team is definitely capable of it and put in the work. So now it’s just about going out and showing them what we can do and what we’re capable of.”
They also want to incorporate their big skills into their routines. One skill that Tanskanen possesses is a maloney-gienger, a transition from the low bar to the high bar, directly connected to a release in between the two bars.
“Not many other gymnasts, I think, in the collegiate level, are doing a gienger inside the two bars, so I hope to keep that in my bar routine,” Tanskanen said.
Kelly has shown interest in continuing to compete top level skills such as potentially doing a double arabian, which is a half turn into a double front salto on bars and floor.
“I definitely do want to keep doing those big skills. I just, you know, have to work on sticking those landings now,” Kelly said. “I want to get a 10.0!”
With the gymnastics season approaching, both gymnasts are anticipating their NCAA debuts this winter.
Edited by Dylan Heinrich | dheinrich@themaneater.com
Copyedited by Hannah Taylor and Alana Sheba | htaylor@themaneater.com
Edited by Annie Goodykoontz | agoodykoontz@themaneater.com