Black gymnasts are the latest buzz on TikTok thanks to Fisk University, a historically Black university and college (HBCU) in Nashville, Tennessee, that held its first gymnastics practice in its 156-year history.
On Tuesday, a video of the practice went viral when gymnastic team member Zyia, who goes by the username @zyiaalexys, posted a clip of her teammates practicing their backflips, stretches and runs. Her now-trending video has been viewed over 700,000 times and received more than 200,000 likes on TikTok as of Thursday afternoon.
The university reshared the video on Twitter, with the caption “oh nothing, just making history!”
In February, Fisk University announced the launch of its first HBCU Intercollegiate Women’s Artistic Gymnastics Team, aiming to expand its athletic profile after “the growing interest among student-athletes for an elite HBCU experience.”
“Woman’s gymnastics exemplifies the values of Fisk University: determination, excellence, and a commitment to a more just and equitable future,” the university said on its website. “These values have consistently been at the forefront of women’s gymnastics and Fisk could not be more excited to welcome these remarkable student-athletes to the campus starting this coming fall.”
Fisk University’s women’s gymnastics team is led by Corrine Tarver, who also became the school’s athletic director in July. According to the Tennessean, the gymnastics team will participate in five events during the fall and will train at the Nashville Gymnastics Training Center. The team can also participate in competitions against any Division I, II, and III school.
