Sydney Barros developing into a contributor for UCLA gymnastics team

UCLA gymnast Sydney Barros wasn’t ready to be part of the rotation in their meet against Michigan State on Sunday. Before the competition, she was set to watch from the sidelines as she recovered from a minor ankle injury.

In the previous meet against Nebraska on Jan. 17, when the Bruins earned a victory, Barros’ only action was a standout performance on the uneven bars and floor exercises.

Due to the illness of some of her teammates, it was her turn to compete.

“When I realized that maybe I should step up my efforts this weekend, I had to mentally put myself in that position very quickly,” Barros said. “…I made sure I was in the best mental space possible and just trusted my training that I had.”

Barros posted a 9.9 on the uneven bars – the team’s second-highest score in the rotation – and followed it with another 9.9 on floor, finishing fourth. Both scores marked career highs.

Coach Janelle McDonald was pleased to see her strong, confident execution.

UCLA gymnast Sydney Barros performs her uneven bars routine during the meet against Nebraska.

(Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)

“I think it really bodes well and just shows people the type of competitor she is, the type of athlete she is and the type of teammate she is,” McDonald said.

She began her career at No. 5 ranked UCLA following an ACL injury, which forced her to delay taking the mat until her sophomore year. Before Sunday, Barros had been limited to just one event — a mark of 9.800 on the uneven bars in the Jan. 10 quad meet against Oklahoma, Utah and Louisiana State.

Rebuilding it after an ACL injury took some time, as Barros had to regain his confidence in his body, McDonald said.

“This whole year has been completely different for her,” she said. “She’s excited, she’s training really hard, she’s training really confidently and aggressively, and we really felt like this could really be her breakout year.”

McDonald is proud that her team stepped up

When the team returned to practice Tuesday, McDonald made sure to let them know how proud she was of how they supported each other when needed.

Finding excuses for things not to go perfectly would have been easy with the team dealing with illnesses. Instead, the Bruins figured it out and remained undefeated in conference play after beating a fierce competitor in Michigan State 197.425-196.900.

“I think it speaks to the resiliency of this team and the determination they have to be a really great competitive team, no matter the circumstances,” McDonald said.

When they met on Sunday, Barros, Jordis Eichman, Ciena Alipio and Ashlee Sullivan all had to fill spots in the lineup.

Sullivan competed in all events for the first time this season and earned a score of 9.775 on beam.

“I never really imagined how much I could help the team,” she said. “It’s really surreal to be part of such a legacy and to be a beloved player on the team.”

The Bruins are still hungry

UCLA started the season 6-2 while maintaining a perfect record in the Big Ten Conference. Jordan Chiles continues to dominate in all events and the Bruins’ freshman class has left its mark on the team.

Each week, they benefit from an exceptional performance from different gymnasts. Success continues to dominate headlines, but the Bruins show no signs of complacency.

“Our team is very hungry,” McDonald said.

“…We still have a lot of room for improvement, we still have details to work out, we still have these moments of trust that we have to continue to build,” she added.

Their goal is to put together the best team they are capable of putting together and be at the top of the Big Ten.

“We want to show up to every competition, really focusing on our own Bruin bubble,” McDonald said.