Nola Matthews

Last updated

Nola Matthews
Full nameNola Rhianne Matthews
Nickname(s)Nols
Country representedFlag of the United States.svg United States
Born (2006-09-20) September 20, 2006 (age 17)
San Jose, California
Residence Gilroy, California
Discipline Women's artistic gymnastics
LevelSenior International Elite
Years on national team2022–present (USA)
ClubAirborne Gymnastics Training Center
College team UCLA Bruins (2026–2029)
Head coach(es)Cleo Washington
Assistant coach(es)Tonya Piacente, Melissa Metcalf, Melanie Ruggiero
Medal record
Representing the Flag of the United States.svg United States
Pan American Championships
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2023 Medellín Team
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg2023 MedellínUneven bars

Nola Rhianne Matthews (born September 20, 2006) [1] is an American artistic gymnast. She is the 2023 Pan American uneven bars champion.

Contents

Early life

Matthews was born on September 20, 2006, in San Jose, California to physician parents Drs. Kari Bertrand (ob-gyn) and AJ Matthews (plastic surgery). Bertrand was a two-time Olympic Trials qualifier and an All-American runner for Georgetown University. [2] Matthews began gymnastics when she was two years old. [3]

Junior gymnastics career

2017–18

Matthews competed at the 2017 Hopes Classic and finished fifteenth with an all-around score of 44.500, meaning she was 0.500 away from qualifying for the Hopes Championships. [4] She finished forty-first in the all-around at the 2018 Hopes Classic and did not qualify for the Hopes Championships. [5] She then competed with her club at the Tournoi International in Combs-la-Ville, France. She won the silver medal in the espoir all-around behind Levi Jung-Ruivivar. She won the gold medals on the uneven bars and balance beam in the event finals. [6]

2019

Matthews began competing in junior elite in 2019. She made her elite debut at the American Classic where she finished ninth in the all-around and placed third on the uneven bars. [7] Then at the U.S. Classic, she finished twenty-second in the all-around and qualified for the U.S. Championships. [8] She then finished twenty-first in the all-around at the U.S. Championships. [9] She went to the Tournoi International again with her club, and she finished fifth in the all-around. She finished sixth on vault and floor exercise, and she won the gold medal on the uneven bars. [10]

2021

Matthews did not compete in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. She returned to competition at the 2021 Winter Cup, and she finished fifth in the all-around and won the silver medal on the uneven bars behind Levi Jung-Ruivivar. [11] Then at the American Classic, she finished ninth in the all-around. [12] She did not compete floor exercise at the U.S. Classic, and she finished seventeenth on vault, eleventh on uneven bars, and tenth on balance beam. [13] She then finished thirteenth in the all-around at the U.S. National Championships. [14]

Senior gymnastics career

2022

Matthews became age-eligible for senior competition in 2022. She made her senior debut at the Winter Cup and finished fifth in the all-around and won the gold on uneven bars. [15] She then made her senior international debut at the DTB Pokal Team Challenge and won a gold medal with the American team. She won the bronze medal in the uneven bars final behind Giorgia Villa and Romi Brown. [16] Then at the U.S. Classic, she finished sixth in the all-around and won silver on the uneven bars behind Shilese Jones. [17] She finished thirteenth in the all-around at the U.S. Championships and fourth on the uneven bars. [18]

2023

Matthews won the all-around bronze medal at the Winter Cup behind Lexi Zeiss and Ashlee Sullivan. [19] She then competed at the DTB Pokal Team Challenge alongside Zoe Miller, Joscelyn Roberson, and Ashlee Sullivan, and they won the team gold medal. [20] In April, she was named to the team to compete at the Pan American Championships alongside Tiana Sumanasekera, Zoe Miller, Addison Fatta, Joscelyn Roberson, and traveling replacement athlete Madray Johnson. [21] She won the gold medal on the uneven bars and finished fourth in the all-around. [22] The team then won the gold medal in the team final. [23]

Competitive history

YearEventTeamAA VT UB BB FX
Espoir
2017 Hopes Classic1514101315
2018 Hopes Classic412044511
Tournoi InternationalSilver medal icon.svgGold medal icon.svgGold medal icon.svg
Junior
2019 American Classic92411Bronze medal icon.svg15
U.S. Classic 223024726
U.S. Championships 2129171422
Tournoi International56Gold medal icon.svg6
2021 Winter Cup 512Silver medal icon.svg99
American Classic9131249
U.S. Classic 171110
U.S. Championships 13961013
Senior
2022 Winter Cup 5Gold medal icon.svg79
DTB Pokal Team Challenge Gold medal icon.svgBronze medal icon.svg
U.S. Classic 6Silver medal icon.svg48
U.S. Championships 1341916
2023 Winter Cup Bronze medal icon.svg564
DTB Pokal Team Challenge Gold medal icon.svg
Pan American Championships Gold medal icon.svg4Gold medal icon.svg
U.S. Classic 4465
U.S. National Championships 12101310
2024 Winter Cup 1219145
DTB Pokal Mixed Cup Gold medal icon.svg

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References

  1. "Nola Matthews". USA Gymnastics . Retrieved May 28, 2023.
  2. Lee, Emanuel (April 5, 2023). "Gymnast Nola Matthews competes at elite level". Gilroy Dispatch. Retrieved May 28, 2023.
  3. Sandmaier, Christy (June 21, 2022). "Rising Star Nola Matthews Readies for the Road Ahead". Inside Gymnastics Magazine. Retrieved May 28, 2023.
  4. "35 advance to Hopes Championships". USA Gymnastics . July 10, 2017. Retrieved May 31, 2023.
  5. "American Classic Hopes Classic Meet Results" (PDF). USA Gymnastics . July 6, 2018. Retrieved May 31, 2023.
  6. Hopkins, Lauren (November 17, 2018). "2018 Tournoi International Results". The Gymternet. Retrieved May 31, 2023.
  7. "2019 Hopes & American Classic Meet Results" (PDF). USA Gymnastics . June 22, 2019. Retrieved May 31, 2023.
  8. "2019 GK U.S. Classic Meet Results" (PDF). USA Gymnastics . July 20, 2019. Retrieved May 31, 2023.
  9. "2019 U.S. Championships - Women Day 2 Meet Results" (PDF). USA Gymnastics . August 11, 2019. Retrieved May 31, 2023.
  10. Hopkins, Lauren (November 19, 2019). "2019 Tournoi International Results". The Gymternet. Retrieved May 31, 2023.
  11. "2021 Winter Cup - Women Meet Results" (PDF). USA Gymnastics . February 28, 2021. Retrieved May 31, 2023.
  12. "2021 Hopes & American Classic Meet Results" (PDF). USA Gymnastics . April 24, 2021. Retrieved May 31, 2023.
  13. "2021 GK U.S. Classic Meet Results" (PDF). USA Gymnastics . May 22, 2021. Retrieved May 31, 2023.
  14. "2021 U.S. Championships - Women Day 2 Meet Results" (PDF). USA Gymnastics . June 6, 2021. Retrieved May 31, 2023.
  15. "2022 Winter Cup - Women Meet Results" (PDF). USA Gymnastics . February 26, 2022. Retrieved May 31, 2023.
  16. Hopkins, Lauren (March 20, 2022). "2022 DTB Pokal Team Challenge Results". The Gymternet. Retrieved May 31, 2023.
  17. "2022 U.S. Classic - Women Meet Results" (PDF). USA Gymnastics . July 30, 2022. Retrieved May 31, 2023.
  18. "2022 U.S. Championships - Women Day 2 Meet Results" (PDF). USA Gymnastics . August 21, 2022. Retrieved May 31, 2023.
  19. Bregman, Scott (February 25, 2023). "Lexi Zeiss claims women's all-around crown at the 2023 Winter Cup". Olympic Channel . Retrieved May 28, 2023.
  20. Crumlish, John (March 19, 2023). "U.S., Germany and Japan sweep team titles at DTB Pokal". International Gymnast Magazine . Retrieved May 28, 2023.
  21. "Women's senior team named for 2023 Pan American Championships". USA Gymnastics . April 30, 2023. Retrieved May 28, 2023.
  22. "U.S. women shine at Pan Ams with eight medals; Sumanasekera wins all-around". USA Gymnastics . May 27, 2023. Retrieved May 28, 2023.
  23. "U.S. claims men's and women's team titles at Pan American Championships". USA Gymnastics . May 28, 2023. Retrieved May 31, 2023.