College gymnastics is back! Select teams across the country began competing in their health-regulated 2021 seasons over the weekend, and Georgia University’s Soraya Hawthorne came out to entertain and tumble hard. The sophomore from Memphis, TN, showcased a floor routine on Jan. 8 against the University of Missouri set to music from the late legend Prince.
Hawthorne opened up with an explosive double pike, and she shimmied, body rolled, and leapt along to “When Doves Cry” and, of course, “Kiss.” You can hear Prince himself in some of the audio, and the routine even reminds us of a popular performance that former UCLA gymnast Katelyn Ohashi did in 2019. Hawthorne received a 9.825, less than two tenths away from a perfect score. She’s all smiles, power, and Prince energy — and we’re all for it!
