Matthews was born on September 20, 2006, in San Jose, California to physician parents Drs. Kari Bertrand (ob-gyn) and AJ Matthews (plastic surgery). Bertrand was a two-time Olympic Trials qualifier and an All-American runner for Georgetown University.[2] Matthews began gymnastics when she was two years old.[3]
Junior gymnastics career
2017–18
Matthews competed at the 2017 Hopes Classic and finished 15th with an all-around score of 44.500, meaning she was 0.500 away from qualifying for the Hopes Championships.[4] She finished 41st in the all-around at the 2018 Hopes Classic and did not qualify for the Hopes Championships.[5] She then competed with her club at the Tournoi International in Combs-la-Ville, France. She won the silver medal in the espoir all-around behind Levi Jung-Ruivivar. She won the gold medals on the uneven bars and balance beam in the event finals.[6]
2019
Matthews began competing in junior elite in 2019. She made her elite debut at the American Classic where she finished ninth in the all-around and placed third on the uneven bars.[7] Then at the U.S. Classic, she finished 22nd in the all-around and qualified for the U.S. Championships.[8] She then finished 21st in the all-around at the U.S. Championships.[9] She went to the Tournoi International again with her club, and she finished fifth in the all-around. She finished sixth on vault and floor exercise, and she won the gold medal on the uneven bars.[10]
2021
Matthews did not compete in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. She returned to competition at the 2021 Winter Cup, and she finished fifth in the all-around and won the silver medal on the uneven bars behind Levi Jung-Ruivivar.[11] Then at the American Classic, she finished ninth in the all-around.[12] She did not compete floor exercise at the U.S. Classic, and she finished 17th on vault, 11th on uneven bars, and 10th on balance beam.[13] She then finished thirteenth in the all-around at the U.S. National Championships.[14]
Senior gymnastics career
2022
Matthews became age-eligible for senior competition in 2022. She made her senior debut at the Winter Cup and finished fifth in the all-around and won the gold on uneven bars.[15] She then made her senior international debut at the DTB Pokal Team Challenge and won a gold medal with the American team. She won the bronze medal in the uneven bars final behind Giorgia Villa and Romi Brown.[16] Then at the U.S. Classic, she finished sixth in the all-around and won silver on the uneven bars behind Shilese Jones.[17] She finished 13th in the all-around at the U.S. Championships and fourth on the uneven bars.[18]
2023
Matthews won the all-around bronze medal at the Winter Cup behind Lexi Zeiss and Ashlee Sullivan.[19] She then competed at the DTB Pokal Team Challenge alongside Sullivan, Zoe Miller, Joscelyn Roberson, and they won the team gold medal.[20] In April, she was named to the team to compete at the Pan American Championships alongside Miller, Roberson, Tiana Sumanasekera, Addison Fatta, and traveling replacement athlete Madray Johnson.[21] She won the gold medal on the uneven bars and finished fourth in the all-around.[22] The team then won the gold medal in the team final.[23]
