Instant Replay: Rebekah Ripley Is A ‘Barbie Girl’ In BYU Gymnastics Floor Routine
Jan 9, 2023, 5:36 PM
PROVO, UT- One of the best parts of college gymnastics is the creativity that often goes into floor exercise routines that are competed throughout the season. Lately, UCLA has gotten a ton of credit and attention for the incredible dance elements they incorporate into their tumbling passes. However, it was BYU’s Rebekah Ripley that impressed over the opening college gymnastics weekend performing her interpretation of “Barbie Girl” at the Super16 Vegas Meet.
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Ripley used a cut up of the Aqua song “Barbie Girl” that was released in 1997 and remained popular through the late ’90s and early 2000s along with moving “plastic noises” to bring her concept to life. Naturally, the talented gymnast used most of her choreography and tumbling to move how a Barbie Doll would and she absolutely nailed it.
Rebekah Ripley: Life In Plastic, It’s Fantastic
Ripley competed the routine at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas during a quad-meet with Arizona State, Cal, and the University of Iowa.
The meet itself did not go as well as the Cougars would have hoped posting a 193.775 that placed them fourth of the schools competing, but Ripley’s imagination was a bright spot for a team that’s still on the build. ASU took third with a 195.775, Iowa came in second with a 196.225, and Cal took home first place with a 197.475.
The senior out of St. George Utah earned a 9.675 for the routine and only competed in one other event, vault which earned her a 9.775.
Up Next
The BYU Cougars will be turning their attention to West Valley, Utah on Friday, January 13 for the Rio Tinto Best of Utah Meet which features all of the in-state college gymnastics teams. The Cougars will be joined by Southern Utah, Utah State, and Utah at the Maverik Center in another quad-meet that will be on podium.
The meet gets started at 6:45 pm MT and can be viewed on BYUtv for those unable to attend.
Michelle Bodkin is the Utah Utes Insider for KSLsports.com and host of both the Crimson Corner Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and The Saturday Show (Saturday from 10 a.m.–12 p.m.) on The KSL Sports Zone. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram: @BodkinKSLsports