When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. McKenna Kelley at the NCAA Womens National Collegiate Gymnastics Championship. Please select the topics you're interested in: Would you like to turn on POPSUGAR desktop notifications to get breaking news ASAP? Retton said she and Kelley simply grew apart. You can find out more and change our default settings with Cookies Settings. Now, Retton is back home in Texas with her family and taking time to rest after dealing with some DWTS-related injuries. Last year, the athlete tore her Achilles tendon and spent the season on the sidelines. Im really excited for what this new chapter is going to bring instead of being that scared person that I was a couple of months ago. book to class, Turner: TEA is giving Houston ISD two optionsclose school or be taken over, Two ocelots were photographed crossing a road in rare South Texas sighting, Willie Nelson's new album is a lovely tribute to a fellow country legend. He joined the Houston Chronicle in 1990 after stints at the Dallas bureau of United Press International (1984-90), the Waco Tribune-Herald (1978-84) and the Tyler Morning Telegraph (1975-78). I think me coming out with that did help a lot of women., For Retton, the opportunity to participate on DWTS came at just the right time following her divorce, as she was looking to get away. 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It really helped me find that woman that I was searching for. IE 11 is not supported. See Her Now. Mary Lou Retton's daughter nailed her routine at the NCAA Women's Gymnastics Championships She almost got a perfect score! She was one of the most beautiful gymnasts I've ever seen. Gymnast Carly Patterson Won Olympic Gold 17 Years Ago. I just felt this is my chance to really be clear and to be transparent to people. document.addEventListener( 'DOMContentLoaded', function() { I dont think another year of gymnastics could give me anything I needed more, she said, adding that her team at LSU has been so special and she wants to finish her college journey with them. [17], Retton's hometown, Fairmont, West Virginia, named a road and a park in the town after her. The proud mom took to Instagram to commemorate her daughters triumphant performance. You can see her performance in the video below, posted to Twitter by sports journalist Holly Rowe, who noted how lucky she felt watching the daughter of the gymnast she once idolized: I idolized @marylouretton now watching her lovely daughter @mckennamckelley is such a cool experience. From vegan to keto, which diet has the highest carbon footprint. Retton could be spotted in the stands blowing kisses and holding up 10 fingers for a perfect 10. Experts give insight into the biggest social media lies. But my mom never, ever put pressure on us. Kelley is a senior at LSU, which means this may have been her last performance with the team. "With this back surgery, you get to the point when the pain overrides the fear of getting it done. A women's gymnastics competition tour open to USA Gymnastics, NGA, & AAU levels 1-10 and Xcel divisions. [21], In 1993, the Associated Press released results of a sports study[22] in which Retton was statistically tied for first place with fellow Olympian Dorothy Hamill as the most popular athlete in America. 2002). McKenna Kelley, left, and her mom, Mary Lou Retton, at the 1984 Summer Olympics. Unlike her older sisters, Skyla isn't involved in collegiate gymnastics. Mary Lou Retton is a legendary gymnast who is best known for winning a gold medal in the Olympic all-around at the 1984 summer Olympics in Los Angeles. Im not one to air my dirty laundry, but for the entire show I kept talking about struggles and challenges and how I lost myself and all of that, she says. 21 hours ago, by Samantha Brodsky she shared, laughing. But she and her siblings were never forced to continue doing it if they didn't want to, which McKenna noted to Tiger Rag, an LSU magazine. I just wanted to be authentic. "McKenna was very . Retton doesn't like to interfere with her kids' gymnastics careers. -- When your mom is Olympic gymnastics superstar Mary Lou Retton and you take up her sport, there are bound to be certain expectations. Her three other children, all girls, include Shayla (b. In the clip, she can be seen holding her hands to her heart and blowing a kiss to the audience: Pretty sure we are all McKenna today. She retired from gymnastics after graduating college, but McKenna is still involved with the sport in her own way. They were angry in the beginning, and any child should be with their family being torn apart but weve vowed that we would do holidays together and were going to try to make it as seamless and as painless as possible., I dont think they were surprised, she adds. The tour benefits The McKenna Kelly Foundation, which donates to non-profits focusing on mental health. foreverourlegacy.org. Retton brings name recognition. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. See Her Now. She did not arrive at this point in her life unscathed. Retton recovered and, trailing Szabo entering her final event in the all-around at Los Angeles, received a perfect score of 10.0 on the "vault without fault" to win the gold medal by 0.05 points. Kelley only began pursuing elite gymnastics five years ago at the age of 17, Today previously reported. "I tell her every season, 'McKenna, I'm really gonna do it this season. RELATED: Kerri Strug's Heroic Vault Was 25 Years Ago. Instead of pursuing gymnastics, Skyla was on the cheerleading team during her four years of high school. "It's not like today, when you get the results before they appear on television. Back when I competed, it was the pretty little butterflies, which I was not. Retton was inspired by watching Nadia Comneci outshine defending Olympic two-event winner Olga Korbut on television at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, when she herself was eight years of age, and she took up gymnastics in her hometown of Fairmont, West Virginia. Generations of gymnasts later, her body type and style are the sport's gold standard, embodied by the 4-feet-8 Biles, already the three-time defending world all-around champion heading into the Rio Olympics. ** FILE ** Mary Lou Retton is shown during her perfect performance in the floor exercise in the Olympic individual all-around finals of the Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, Calif., in this Aug. 3, 1984 photo. 07/25/2001 - Mr. Bump, played by actor Ralph Ehntholt (cq), parades by Mary Lou Retton during a rehearsal on the set The Flip Flop Shop at KUHT studios on 7-25-01. This move, and many others like it, were removed from the Code of Points of artistic gymnastics due to old-style "belly beat" moves having ceased to be used in bars competitions. Who can blame a mom, when there's so much to cheer about? McKenna then took her gymnastics career to the collegiate level at Louisiana State University. While McKenna grew up with a world-famous Olympian, she says that her mom never pressured her into becoming a gymnast. After winning her second American Cup, the U.S. Nationals, and the U.S. Olympic Trials in 1984, Retton suffered a knee injury when she was performing a floor routine at a local gymnastics center at this time. That's all she is.". But that kind of gymnastics has gone. 08/11/2004 (E. Joe Deering/Chronicle). Now, her daughter McKenna Kelley is following in her footsteps, as she just performed a near-perfect routine at the NCAA championships on Sunday as her proud . Though Retton missed the World Gymnastics Championships in 1983 due to a wrist injury, she won the American Classic in 1983 and 1984, as well as Japan's Chunichi Cup in 1983. Ahead of her daughters last outing on the floor, Retton revealed that she told Kelley to make sure to enjoy the moment. RELATED:Nadia Comneci Scored a Perfect 10 at the Olympics 45 Years Ago. Shayla didn't continue tumbling after college, however. Roger Clemens makes surprise appearance at Astros' Spring Training, Hiker captures 'once-in-a-lifetime' photo of wildlife at Brazos Bend State Park, Why Johnson City in Texas Hill Country is the new, cooler Fredericksburg. navigator.sendBeacon('https://www.google-analytics.com/collect', payload); She has been with the brand since starting as an intern nearly six years ago, covering all things entertainment across print and digital platforms. She went to The University of Texas, where she met her husband, Shannon Kelly, who played quarterback for the Longhorns. All four of their children have been involved with gymnastics, like their mom, who, at 53, is working in sports once again, managing a new competitive tour. 1 day ago, by Victoria Edel Daughter of Mary Lou Retton and Shannon Kelly Her mother Mary Lou Retton won the gold medal in the all-around at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles Her father Shannon Kelley. And I just can't help myself!". Shayla didn't continue tumbling after college, however. See Michael Jordan's Three Oldest Kids All Grown Up. Please fill in your e-mail so we can share with you our top stories! What a way to close the night. Her path was different than mine and Im so proud of everything.. Mary Lou Retton was the first American female to have an Olympic all-around gold. Mary Lou Retton-Kelley lights up the cauldron during the 2002 Olympic Torch Relay Monday, Dec. 10, 2001, in Houston, TX. xhr.send(payload); As for Kelley, she seemed tickled by her mom's pride. Bestlifeonline.com is part of the Meredith Health Group. In addition to McKenna, Retton has three other daughters with ex Shannon Kelley: Shayla Rae, 24, Skyla Brae, 19, and Emma Jean, 16. "My goal was to come to Houston because the Karolyis were going to give me my best shot at making the Olympic team," Retton said. ", Gymnastics, she said, "is a brutal sport. View this post on Instagram. Growing up, I never had that pressure, Kelley told espnW as a freshman competitor. You can find out more and change our default settings with Cookies Settings. One gold, two silver and two bronze. Im scared!, I guess I got to find myself a dancer, dont I? she adds. Olympic Gymnast Mary Lou Retton Cheers on Daughter at NCAA Women's Gymnastics Championships, Olympian Katie Ledecky Says 'Go for the Gold' After She's Named Best Female Athlete at 2022 ESPY Awards, Breakfast of Champions! It's a 9.95 to end her illustrious career. Thats the same age Retton was when she retired from the sport in 1985 a year after she became the first American woman to win the individual all-around gold medal in gymnastics at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. [23], In 1997, Retton was inducted into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame. var xhr = new XMLHttpRequest(); She earned her Bachelors in Broadcast Journalism at the University of Southern California and has been seen on Good Morning America. The asymmetrical neckline of the top had the star flaunting her beautiful neckline and the short length of the skirt, her well-toned legs. Opening up about her decision to step away, Kelley shared that she feels so at peace.. My daughters were amazing, she says. When McKenna Kelley nailed her floor routine at the NCAA Women's Gymnastics Championships, no one was prouder than her mom, Olympic gold medalist Mary Lou Retton. Kelley is a senior, which means this might be her final season; she has one year left of eligibility but isn't sure whether she'll use it. Happy Monday! she wrote in the caption alongside several happy face emojis. Those #goals aren't what they seem. But Kelley seems to be handling these expectations without breaking a sweat, as evidenced by her recent performance in the NCAA championships. [19][20], Retton was elected to the National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame in 1992. She would be eligible to remain on the team for one more season but the student-athlete says she wont be taking advantage of that opportunity. Instead of pursuing gymnastics, Skyla was on the cheerleading team during her four years of high school. At the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, she won a gold medal in the individual all-around competition, as well as two silver medals and two bronze medals. One fan, @emmadilemma83 wrote alongside a heart emoji: She definitely has your smile!!!! Her university profile notes that, as a junior, Shayla qualified in three events at the National Collegiate Acrobatics and Tumbling Association's Individual Championships and won one. McKenna won her first gymnastics competition when she was 17. Last Christmas, she shared a photo of her and her sisters in matching pajamas on Instagram. I wanted to tell people why., I knew I wanted to do it in a classy way, she continues. Mary Lou Retton, right, and her daughters Shayla Kelley, back left, and McKenna, back right, rush in to hug Samantha Peszek, right, and Alicia Sacramone after Peszek and Sacramone were named to the Olympic team on the final day of the USA Gymnastics Olympic selection camp at Women's National Team Training Center, Saturday, July 19, 2008, in New Waverly, Texas. She'll be starting her junior year this fall and is in the Alpha Phi sorority. 55 minutes ago, by Eden Arielle Gordon Mary Lou Retton's five medals in the 1984 Olympics: Gold: All-around champion, scoring perfect 10.0s on the vault and floor exercise to win. ", Houston, she said, "has become home to me. 1997), and Emma (b. Throughout the process, Retton felt alone, but she had the support of the couple's four daughters: Shayla, 23, McKenna, 21, Skyla, 18, and Emma, 16. Team USA Gymnast Earns First Olympic Medal in Floor Final at Tokyo Olympics, Mary Lou Retton Divorces Husband Shannon Kelley After 27 Years of Marriage: 'I Felt Very Alone', Simone Biles Suddenly Exits Women's Team Event but Says She's 'OK' and May Be Back for Other Finals, Aly Raisman, Laurie Hernandez and More Gymnasts React to Simone Biles Bowing Out of Team Final, This UCLA Gymnast Earned a Perfect 10 for Her Epic Floor Routine Watch Her Flip Around the Mat, Sunisa Lee 'Didn't Even Think' She Could Win Gold in Gymnastics All-Around: 'It Was So Emotional', first American woman to win all-around gold at the Olympics, only began pursuing elite gymnastics five years ago, cheer her daughter on at the NCAA championships. On Saturday, April 20, LSU finished second at the NCAA Womens Gymnastics Championships. Nadia Comneci Scored a Perfect 10 at the Olympics 45 Years Ago. [3] After nearly 30 years of marriage, the couple divorced in 2018, but they still share their four daughters: Shayla Kelley, McKenna Kelley, Skyla Kelley, and Emma Kelley. She moved back to Houston in 2012. But 30 years ago, the equipment we worked on wasn't so forgiving. "I don't think I understood the enormity of what she did and the groundbreaking gymnastics she did at the time," she told Today of Retton in 2019. Mary Lou Retton a member of the 1984 Olympic gymnastics team won five metals in LA. It was a doozy, but I'm recovering. Shes a hollerer, for sure.. Gina Vivinetto is a writer for TODAY.com. Registered gymnasts will receive a custom GK leotard. She joined the crowd in repeatedly chanting "10" while flashing both. Mary Lou Retton is opening up about her divorce from ex-husband Shannon Kelley. I hadnt done that in over 30 years. A very touching moment late, as @LSUgym @mckennamckelley performs her final floor routine as a Tiger, with her legendary mother Mary Lou Retton in tears looking on. I'm gonna sit down like most of the other parents and just clap when you go and be quiet and civilized.' You know, all the things that come with a divorce of that magnitude with such a large family. Happy Monday! Kelley scored a stellar 9.95. pic.twitter.com/YrERX9CtZ3, Jacques Doucet (@JacquesDoucet) April 21, 2019, Her voice is so distinct, and I can always hear it in the crowd, Kelley told ESPN in 2016. Retton, 51, looked proud as could be of her daughter as she watched her perform in video captured from the Texas event. Kerri Strug's Heroic Vault Was 25 Years Ago. Retton was born with hip dysplasia, a condition that her years as a competitive gymnast aggravated. Retton sailed through the Olympic Trials but, in an event that would not have happened these days, was allowed to appear in a post-trials exhibition and suffered a knee injury that required arthroscopic surgery six weeks before the Games. After nearly 30 years of marriage, the couple divorced in 2018, but they still share their four daughters: Shayla Kelley, McKenna Kelley, Skyla Kelley, and Emma Kelley. A post shared by shay schrep (@shaylaschrepfer). I showed the world what the sport was going to be - power and athleticism as opposed to just the graceful, artistic side of things.". The beautiful star was, however, more than happy to share that her grown daughter is on her way into adulthood. See Her Now. } 08/11/2004 (E. Joe Deering/Chronicle). HOUCHRON CAPTION (07/31/2001): Mary Lou Retton talks to actress Alicia Church, who plays "Jumpy," on the set of "Mary Lou's Flip Flop Shop" at KUHT studios. [2] Her performance made her one of the most popular athletes in the United States. "I don't think I understood the enormity of what she did and the groundbreaking gymnastics she did at the time," she told Today of Retton in 2019. And like her mom, she couldnt help but share an image of her newly won awards. And we trained hard - 70 vaults a day onto hard surfaces. The retired Olympic gold-medal-winning gymnast revealed her split from her husband of 27 years publicly for the. Shes worked really hard to come back from a serious injury, did two events and was ready to do beam tonight. It's a small town in a big city and such a sports town where everybody supports each other.". That's where I am at this stage of life.". "People still come up to me and say they remember where they were during the summer of 1984," she said. #allthefeels #lsugym @mckennamckelley @LSUgym pic.twitter.com/DbmbuWFazK, Alison Stevens (@AlisonMichele93) April 21, 2019. For Kelley, a senior at LSU, the night was a triumphant personal comeback. And I just can't help myself!" The former Olympic gymnast is executive producer and star of the show, a series for children ages 6 and under. This consisted of a transition (front flip) from low- to high-bar, resulting in the gymnast perched or "sitting" on top of the high bar. She and her wife, Molly, are the proud moms of two formerly stray cats, Sophie and Pierre, and a rescue dog named Gracie. Mary's father was also a former collegiate basketball player. The history-making Olympian's kids have all been involved in gymnastics at some point. A post shared by Mary Lou Retton (@marylouretton), Even with four kids who've done gymnastics, Retton has never been tempted to coach them herself. ", Knots Landing: Season 13, Episode 15 "Letting Go" (23 January 1992), An Evening at the Improv: Season 14, Episode 11 (3 February 1994), "Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult (1994) - Full Cast & Crew", Olympic Champion Mary Lou Retton Stars In New PBS Television Series, "Celebrating Every '80s Reference in That RadioShack Super Bowl Commercial", Where Are They Now? If anything, when we were growing up shed be like, You should quit. "I travel from January to May watching them compete, and that is the joy of my life. Next is Skyla Kelley, who's 21 years old and studying at Texas Tech University. I will not be taking a fifth year, she shared on Today, to which her mother enthusiastically replied, Thank God.. Mary Lou Retton a member of the 1984 Olympic gymnastics team won five medals in LA. Its a 9.95 to end her illustrious career, the caption read. See Her Now. She also competed in multiple club gymnastics competitions when she was in high school. 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[24], In January 2020, Retton was the first woman inducted into the Houston Sports Hall of Fame. Great, Click the Allow Button Above Retton won two international events in 1983 and entered the Olympic year, with the Soviets boycotting the Games in Los Angeles, picked to win the all-around silver medal behind Ecaterina Szabo of Romania. That really was my final routine, she shared, referring to her near-perfect floor routine, which led her team to an overall second-place victory. (Christobal Perez/Chronicle) 12/10/01. [28][29][30] In 2019, Retton became a spokesperson for Australian Dream, a pain relief cream. Retton and Kelley divorced in 2018, but they had four daughters: Shayla, McKenna, Skyla and Emma. These are the fruits that are safe (and not safe) for your dog to eat, These Clever Food Hacks Get Kids To Eat Healthy, The 5 Ways You Know Youre Too Old For Roommates. It was just to say it in a way that I felt would let people know what Im going through but yet still do it with loving words.. 1995), McKenna (b. PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WJAR) Olympic gymnast Mary Lou Retton and her daughter, McKenna Kelley, brought their gymnastics invitational to Rhode Island on Friday. (AP Photo/Suzanne Vlamis), Mary Lou Retton of the USA is hugged by her coach, Bela Karolyi, following her perfect performance in the floor exercise in Olympic individual all-around finals Friday night, Aug. 3, 1984 in Los Angeles. But what she chooses remains to be seen. She also became the first American woman to be an Olympic all-around champion an honor she held alone until the ongoing five-peat of American all-around champions (in order: Carly Patterson in 2004 in Athens, Nastia Liukin in 2008 in Beijing, Gabby Douglas in 2012 in London, Simone Biles in 2016 in Rio de Janeiro and Suni Lee in 2021 in Tokyo). To see Mary Lou Retton's four daughters, read about their accomplishments in the gym, and hear more about her family, read on. But the equipment today is better, and they train smarter today.". The comments section contained a lot of congratulatory messages for Skyla as well as multiple compliments for the mother-daughter duo for looking so alike. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your device and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. McKenna Kelley anchors the 2019 NCAA Gymnastics Championships! Retton's routine on the uneven bars included a move that came to be called "The Retton Flip." The legendary woman was giving perfect-10 fingers for her daughter and sending kisses through the air to Kelley on the floor. Mary Lou Retton is an American retired gymnast and Olympian. A lot of people were surprised.. However, Skyla did do gymnastics as a child, starting at the age of three. And while she may not share the same athletic interests as her family, they're still close. All four of their children. Gymnast Mary Lou Retton made history at the 1984 Summer Olympics when she became the first American woman to win the all-around gold medal. . Associate Editor, Human Interest - PEOPLE. This wasn't her only win at the games; she also won silver in the team and vault competitions, along with bronze medals in uneven bar and floor exercise.
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