Mon Jan 05 02:20:00 UTC 2026: Here’s a summary and news article based on the provided text:

Summary:

The UCLA Bruins gymnastics team started their 2026 season with a decisive victory at the Best of the West Quad meet held at the University of Washington. UCLA secured first place with a total score of 196.975, surpassing California, Washington, and Oregon State. Olympic gold medalist Jordan Chiles dominated the competition, winning all four events and the all-around title. Freshman Tiana Sumanasekera impressed in her debut. UCLA excelled on vault, balance beam, and floor exercise, achieving the highest team scores on those events. Their strong performance in the final rotation on the balance beam sealed their victory.

News Article:

Bruins Soar to Victory at Best of the West Quad

SEATTLE, WA – January 3, 2026 – The No. 4 UCLA Bruins gymnastics team launched their 2026 season with a commanding first-place finish at the Best of the West Quad meet held today at the University of Washington’s Alaska Airlines Arena. UCLA posted an impressive 196.975, leaving No. 20 California (196.000), host Washington (195.625), and No. 19 Oregon State (195.550) in their wake.

Olympic gold medalist and senior Jordan Chiles proved to be the star of the show, sweeping all four events and securing the all-around title with a remarkable score of 39.725. Chiles’ individual event wins included vault (9.900), a three-way tie on uneven bars (9.925) and balance beam (9.975), and floor exercise (9.925).

Adding to the Bruins’ success, freshman Tiana Sumanasekera made a splash in her collegiate debut, earning second place on balance beam (9.950) and floor exercise (9.850). Veteran Ciena Alipio contributed with a 9.925 on beam to close the meet and also hit a 9.800 on her floor exercise exhibition, and sophomore Mika Webster-Longin added consistently high scores across multiple events.

UCLA demonstrated their strength as a team by achieving the highest team scores of the meet on vault (49.150), balance beam (49.525), and floor exercise (49.075). The Bruins’ final rotation on beam was especially crucial, propelling them to victory with near-flawless routines and impressive scores.

Next up, the Bruins face a tough test against No. 1 Oklahoma, No. 2 LSU, and No. 5 Utah at the Sprouts Farmers Market Collegiate Quad in West Valley City, Utah, on Saturday, January 10. The meet will be televised live on ABC at 1pm PT.

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