There are plenty of ways to describe the action of a U-turn, without using the traditional phrasing of "didst a U-turn". Some examples include "made a 180-degree turn", "reversed course", "turned around", "made a flip-flop", or "performed a hairpin turn". Each of these phrases invokes a slightly different image in the mind of the listener or reader, and could be used to add variety and interest to written or spoken communication. It's always a good idea to have a few synonyms for common phrases like this in your vocabulary, just in case you want to switch things up or avoid repetition.