Interview Hailey Montero

How old were you when you started gymnastics, and what originally drew you to the sport?

When I first started competitive gymnastics, I was 6 years old and had barely any experience in the sport. Even before I officially started, I was 4 and I would train at home with my dad and eventually learn many of the skills that helped me develop my love for gymnastics. Watching Olympians and college gymnasts on the screen is what truly inspired me to start my journey in the sport.

What was your favorite meet, your favorite and least favorite events, and the hardest/easiest skill you ever trained?

My favorite meet had to be the 2026 Chelsea Piers Winter Challenge. This meet was especially memorable because I pushed myself and achieved the highest floor score I’ve ever received in my Level 9 career. It was an amazing feeling to see all of my hard work and dedication pay off. My favorite event is beam. Beam is my most advanced event, where I can really show my skills and confidence. I love the challenge of beam and being able to compete skills that I’ve worked hard to learn. It’s an event that has helped me grow a lot as a gymnast and become more confident in myself. On the other hand, my least favorite event is bars. This is the event where I tend to develop mental blocks and get stuck. I always find a way to get over my fears, whether it’s taking a step back and going back to the basics of the skills to put my mind at ease, or pushing through the hard part until I finally get through the skill. The feeling of accomplishment when I overcome that fear and do the skill with no trouble makes it all worth it. The hardest skills I have are my double back on floor and my front tuck on beam. Both skills took a lot of practice, time, and confidence to perfect.

Gymnastics is incredibly mental. What was your hardest struggle during your time as a gymnast? How did you deal with nerves, pressure, and getting in your head or temporarily "losing" a skill?

My hardest struggle throughout my gymnastics journey has been, and still is, getting over mental blocks when going for a skill that I already have but haven’t practiced in a while, or when I’m trying a new skill and don’t know what the outcome will be after committing to it. When I have challenges with a skill, whether it’s new to me or one I’m familiar with, I usually take a step back and go back to the basics. My biggest concern is getting hurt, so going back to the basics and doing numbers I’m confident in helps me feel more comfortable and makes me commit to the skill. Once I’m able to trust myself and go for the skill, I feel a huge sense of relief and accomplishment.

What was your biggest accomplishment in the sport, and did you ever want to do college gymnastics?

My biggest accomplishment was getting my back handspring layout step out on the high beam. The day I got it, there was nothing but excitement and joy going through me. Eventually, this skill became my series that I competed throughout Level 9 and will continue to compete in Level 10. I’ve considered pursuing college gymnastics, and that’s the path I would like to go down. It’s always been a dream of mine to either make it to the Olympics or compete in college gymnastics. I feel that if I continue practicing, working hard, and putting time into my gymnastics career, I can potentially reach my goal of being recruited to a college gymnastics team.

How did you cope when your time as a gymnast ended, and did you transition into coaching or are you currently still competing?

I am currently still competing and training to keep getting better at my sport.

Who was your gymnastics role model, and what advice would you give to someone starting the sport for the first time?

Growing up, my gymnastics role model was Katelyn Ohashi. I remember as a little girl always trying to recreate her routines and dancing in front of the screen while her floor routine was playing. She was a gymnast who really stuck out to me because of how confident and expressive she was in her sport. I admired her so much and always aspired to be like her one day. For someone trying out gymnastics for the first time, my advice to them would be to keep trying, even if you fail, because you grow from your mistakes, and that’s what makes you stronger in this sport. Don’t listen to what others have to say about you if it’s negative. Use their words as motivation to prove them wrong and show yourself what you’re capable of.

What two goals you want to achieve in the sport of gymnastics?

Two goals I would like to achieve in gymnastics are being recruited to a college gymnastics team and continuing to pursue my gymnastics career. Through all the training I endure, I want to continue improving, learning new skills, and growing as a gymnast. I want to keep pushing myself and see how far I can go in my gymnastics career.