In December of 2025, Inside Gymnastics took a trip to the University of Alabama. We had the opportunity to watch the team practice in the weeks prior to the 2026 NCAA season. One freshman immediately stuck out to me as the next NCAA gymnastic star. Azaraya Ra-Akbar showcased an incredible combination of difficulty, execution, and poise throughout each event. The coaches and staff already had her in the anchor position or near the end of the lineup in all four events. 

The height and amplitude on her Yurchenko 1.5 on vault struck me. “She looks like she could double that vault,” I said to myself. “Actually she can do a 2.5 in the pit,” replied Alabama Head Coach Ashley Johnston. Ra-Akbar’s stardom was evident after just one practice. She seamlessly transitioned the way she practiced to the competition floor. In her first-ever collegiate routine against Clemson, she earned a near perfect 9.975 on bars. However, Ra-Akbar has a competitive history that dates back prior to her time in NCAA gymnastics. 

The Baltimore, Maryland native grew up in the U.S. Elite program coached by her father. She earned strong results in junior Elite competitions, including a top ten finish in the All-Around at the 2021 U.S. Championships and a bronze medal on floor at the 2022 Winter Cup. Ra-Akbar was born to an American father and Canadian mother and holds dual citizenship for both the U.S. and Canada. Her family moved to Canada prior to the 2023 season to take care of her grandmother and remained there to be with family. Now living in Canada, Ra-Akbar decided it would be best to begin representing her mother’s home country. She competed throughout 2023 and was the 2023 Elite Canada floor champion. 

When Ra-Akbar moved to Alabama for college in the fall of 2025, she still had the desire to compete in Elite gymnastics, but the question was, would she compete for Canada or the U.S.? Back in the U.S. for college, she decided that returning to compete for the States was her best option. Ra-Akbar quickly began working her Elite skills again when she arrived in Alabama. 

“I was still making sure that I was keeping up with the foundation of a lot of things,” Ra-Akbar said about her Elite routines. “I kept the middle part of my bar routine, and I would do that twice a week throughout our college season. On beam I would keep up with skills, and the same on floor and vault. “We would sprinkle it in there.” 

Ra-Akbar jumped back into Elite competition at the end of May as an Elite qualifier. This marked her first Elite competition in nearly two years. Her success there earned her a spot to compete at both the American and U.S. Classic. 

“I think college helped me a lot with nerves,” she said about her return to competition. “I did have a couple mistakes here and there, but it wasn’t detrimental. I was just excited to get back out there.” 

Ra-Akbar confirmed with us that she does intend on competing at both the American Classic on June 27th and the U.S. Classic on July 18th, with the goal of qualifying for the U.S. Championships in August. She can feel the support in her Elite journey from her entire Alabama family. She has worked closely with Alabama Assistant Coach Ross Thompson in creating her routines and competition schedule. 

“I have a really strong relationship with everybody, especially coming off my first year in college,” she said about her coaches. “Everybody’s super helpful, and I can go to them about anything, if I’m having any struggles, or if I just need to talk. They’ve been really helpful and supportive.”

Ra-Akbar has quickly implemented new skills into her routines. While she is working a Yurchenko double full on vault, she plans on keeping her 1.5. She’s now performing three tumbling passes on floor and new skills and connections on bars and beam, including a potential double layout dismount on bars.