Interview With Jackson Harrison

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

I first started gymnastics when I was seven years old. I had been doing cartwheels and dancing through my backyard for my entire life. My parents tried to put me in a class one time when I was much younger, but I was too scared to go in on my own. Then one year, my brother had started playing football. And against my will, I was forced to go to all his practices. I would sit there and watch the cheerleaders do their tumbling on the field. When they were done, I'd go out and try to copy them. This was when my parents finally knew they had to put me in gymnastics, and so the journey began.

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

My favorite competition I competed at was US Championships in 2025. It was my second Championships and my first with EVO, meaning it was my first time competing with teammates I watched growing up, like Brody Malone, Donnell Whittenburg, and Stephen Nedoroscik. It was a very surreal experience competing alongside them. I told myself I was going to savor every moment and have the most fun ever. And that's exactly what I did. I ended up placing fifth on floor and auto-qualifying to Winter Cup in 2026. My favorite event is definitely floor. It's where I feel most like myself because I'm able to express my artistry and creativity. I also love to tumble. My least favorite event is pommel horse. I am absolutely so bad at pommel horse. I've never enjoyed training it or competing it. I used to shake so badly in high school when I would compete! The hardest skill I've ever trained is a Tkachev connected to a Def on high bar. I've never successfully caught this combination. It's a C + G release connection, getting 0.1 in bonus.

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?

During my first two years of college, I had put a lot of pressure on myself to do really well. I had started correlating my self-worth to what I was able to achieve in the gym and in competitions. Quite often, I found myself making mistakes in competition that I never made in the gym. I got to a point where I didn't feel like I had any connection with the sport of gymnastics anymore; like who I was as a person, as a queer person specifically, didn't fit anywhere in gymnastics. It took me almost quitting to realize that I don't do gymnastics to win. I do gymnastics because I love it. Of course, I also like to win and be at my best, but that cannot happen if I do not love what I am doing. My junior year, I went in with no expectations for success, and all of a sudden I was doing better than I ever had before. I was able to find a mental space where all I was focused on was doing what I loved and enjoying the moments in front of me, which allowed me not only to hit really good routines in competition, but also to start performing, rather than just competing. Performing gymnastics is something I still take with me to this day. Getting rid of the idea of competing is freeing. I can focus on myself, on doing what I need to do, and on doing what I do every day in the gym.

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

I feel like I have two accomplishments in this sport that I hold in my highest regard. The first is, as I previously said, finishing fifth on floor at US Championships in 2025. That was my biggest goal last year, and being able to achieve it was incredible. My other biggest accomplishment was captaining my college team my senior year. I had always wanted to do college gymnastics. Unfortunately, out of high school, I was not recruited by any D1 schools. On the flip side, I was able to be a part of an amazing GymACT team in Arizona. I have so much love for my team and my teammates, and I'm forever grateful to GymACT for the opportunity to compete in college gymnastics, despite not being a D1 athlete. Being captain my senior year was a wonderful experience that challenged me to grow and become a better person. I loved being the person that everyone looked toward in and outside of the gym. I'm so proud of what that team was able to accomplish through all the challenges we faced that year. We did not end up winning Nationals as a team, which was our goal, but we put up the fight of our lives, and I'll never forget that.

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

Thankfully, all of the stars aligned for me to continue my gymnastics career at EVO. I grew up vacationing in Florida, about thirty minutes from EVO, as my grandmother has been living in this area for a while. My mother and step-dad also retired down here just before I graduated college. Having my family down here gave me the financial support I needed to move across the country from Arizona. My college graduation also perfectly timed with the Olympics. When I first started training here, most other EVO athletes had taken a break from training, allowing space for additional athletes, like myself, to train. I truly believe that things lined up for a reason, that this is what I am supposed to be doing. I could not be any more grateful for everything EVO has given me. I am now a funded athlete, and I help coach the women's team here as well.

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

My biggest gymnastics role model is Simone. I know that's the easier answer to give, but what she has gone through, her dedication to herself as a person, and obviously her incredible gymnastics, inspires me to pave my own path in this sport. One of my other role models is Margzetta Frazier. Her attitude and confidence are something I weave into my own gymnastics. She does gymnastics like she knows everyone is watching, drawing attention to her performance, and that's something I try to carry over to the men's side.

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

My main goal and priority right now is to come back from my second Achilles Tendon rupture. Tearing my Achilles Tendon for a second time was an unreal feeling. Having to go through this process again is one of the hardest things I'll ever have to do; I know that. But I've gone through it before; I know I have what it takes–the patience, the consistency, the willingness–so I know I can do it. Of course, like most elite gymnasts, my next biggest goal is to make the Senior National Team. I want to be the first openly non-binary athlete to be on the Men's Senior National Team.