Konnor McClain Rallies to Claim US Gymnastics National Title She feels like Tom and the Olympic Committee always see her injured, so she may not seem reliable. Konnor McClain won her first U.S. gymnastics national championship Sunday night, rallying past Shilese Jones in the finals to complete a stunning turnaround since switching training gyms last year. The transformation that began when she switched gyms in a rush last spring ended with the 17-year-old atop the podium, a gold medal around her neck and her self-belief restored. Many elite gymnasts move to well-established legacy gyms once their training picks up, but Konnor has always attended the small program at Revolution gymnastics right in her hometown of Cross Lanes, West Virginia. Konnors dad said he asked Konnor what she would do if Valeri said she had to lose five pounds, and she said shed do it. After a while, her parents noticed Konnor was easily doing skills that her older peers were still learning. Peng Peng Lee is hyping up the audience, cheering for USA. How many people there know Peng is from Canada? In fact, it was not supposed to happen this year at all. 2) Konnor is a rare breed. We thought we were on the slow and steady. It was a difficult ending to an otherwise encouraging meet for the resilient 20-year-old, who promised her father Sylvester before his death from kidney disease last December that she would press on in hopes of reaching the 2024 Olympics. Shes working hard on upgrades despite a recent setback of not being named to the most recent National Team, which Konnor says at first it was really hard, just dealing with that feeling and that disappointment in myself and humiliation. According to the USAG website and Chalkwarriors Twitter, Konnor is now trained by Valeri Liukin at WOGA. Her score of 13.850 opened the door for Jones, who was waiting to go on uneven bars as McClain's score flashed. Konnor is really technically a beautiful gymnast on all the events. She just really has that attention to detail, and she's had it since she was a kid from the toes all the way to the fingertips.. I mean, she was in her meet mode, and I could just tell that's what she was doing. The news left McClain overwhelmed. Gymnastics Championships on Aug. 21, 2022 in Tampa, Fla. Coming into Tampa, she cautiously listed her goal as simply hitting her routines. "So I'm excited for the future.''. She wasfeatured onSteve Harveys Little Big Shots at age 11 in 2016, proclaiming she was set on the 2024 Olympic all-around title. Then, at the U.S. Classic in May 2021, she struggled. Konnor McClain BB EF DTB Pokal Team Challenge 2022 14.033 (E - Reddit I'm actually really excited for [the trip to Germany] and excited for later in the season where I could hopefully put some upgrades in and be at my full potential and peak at worlds, said McClain. When Konnor decided after Classics that she needed to find a new gym, her parents supported her 100%. In this instance, the balance check on the landing cost her another 0.3 or 0.5 (depending on whether it was deemed medium or large). Konnor McClain competes at the 2019 U.S. Konnor had chosen to go to Valeri because of how helpful he was when she was in the development program. Continued Lee, I was like, There's going to be a part of you that's missing, but you're just going to have to rebuild. Then the injuries began piling up. The 2019 U.S. junior all-around champion,Kayla DiCello, turned 16 on Jan. 25, 2020, and would have been eligible for an Olympics in 2020. Konnor's sister Olivia just posted and retweeted many things on Twitter which seem to relate to Konnor's abusive former coaches at Revolution Gymnastics doing some terrible things, including badmouthing Konnor and her family on Reddit in their moment of grief. Shes also talked about college gymnastics in the future, but hasnt decided on any schools. McClain, the 2019 U.S. junior all-around silver medalist, was originally too young for the Tokyo Olympics but became age-eligible when the Games were postponed one year to 2021. Konnor McClain, U.S. gymnastics champion, to miss world championships As 2021 was winding down, tragedy struck U.S. gymnast Konnor McClain. Growing up in a family of athletes, Lorinda played soccer and cheered in college, Konnors dad played college football at Southern Utah, and her uncle was in the Olympic Trials for boxing. McClains journey still has a long way to go. Sunis family would fundraise for Suni to compete by selling T-shirts and doing a banquet where theyd invite friends and family. @simone_biles@usagym@gymnastics pic.twitter.com/BwLgNiOLXd, It's just something that we weren't expecting, Lorinda explained. Konnor McClain (born February 1, 2005) is an American artistic gymnast and a convicted criminal for a hit and run case involving teammate Hezly Rivera in a woga parkinglot, she is also a member of the United States women's national gymnastics team. So it was totally up to her. The first day I was definitely nervous since it was like seven years since I've gone, but it's definitely been great my past two weeks, she shared. In the beginning, warmup is definitely always very nerve wracking for me. While Laurie said it was because the beam and bars were cursed, perhaps it could be chalked up to the idea that when an immense amount of pressure is put on young adults, they tend to crack, or in the gymnasts case, slip. Takahashi, 37, and Muramoto, 30, won a national title and placed 11th and 16th at the last two world championships after teaming up during the pandemic in 2020. Winter Cup Live Blog | Balance Beam Situation She wanted to move gyms. At least until her dismount, which Jones underrotated, forcing her to sit on the mat, her hopes of a national championship gone. Olympics delay provides rare opportunity for local gymnast in 2021 Konnor McClains Olympic year was not supposed to go this way. On floor theyre working on a double layout full out, and she competed her two and a half twist through to a double pike at camp. I feel like I'm really nervous at first when I salute and then I get up there and I'm like, "Oh, I'm good." Suni is up on bars. I was like, Oh my gosh, what do I do now? And then each day, I was like, Oh my gosh, this is actually real.. Besides gymnastics, Konnor is just your average teenager, getting her drivers permit and attending public schoolwell, as of two weeks ago at least. Konnor McClain rallies past Shilese Jones in finals to claim first U.S Boston broke the mens long jump world record six times between 1960-65 and shared the record going into the 1968 Mexico City Games. So sometimes we drive Konnor crazy, Lorinda shared, laughing. Outwardly, McClain was progressing nicely as a gymnast in early 2022, winning the all-around at the Winter Cup in Frisco, Texas, and the City of Jesolo Trophy, an international team event held in Italy. She had reached out to me and asked me how did I stay motivated when my dad had his accident? So, I'm feeling really good about the next competitions and camps in the future.. On Sunday night, in front of an enthusiastic crowd in Tampa, Florida, the rebirth came to fruition. "I still think we're going to be able to pull through and have an amazing outcome,'' Chiles said. OlympicTalk is on Apple News. U.S. champion Konnor McClain will miss world championships She just switched gyms too so that may be a factor as well. McClain by then had a reputation. The team won't be selected until mid-October. But I think one time she had a headache and missed a practice, and that's really the only time I can think of her missing a practice. All Rights Reserved. Daisuke Takahashi, who after an Olympic medal-winning singles figure skating career came back to ice dance, has retired along with partnerKana Muramoto, according to Japanese media citing a video on their Instagram. Very interesting switch a week before Nationals! McClain was born in Nevada. Gymnastics Championships to win the all-around title in her first try as a senior. Carl Lewis (@Carl_Lewis) April 30, 2023, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Flipboard (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Daisuke Takahashi, pioneering Japanese figure skater, retires again, Ralph Boston, Olympic long jump champion, dies at 83, Ukraine boycotts judo worlds after Russians, Belarusians allowed as neutrals, Joel Embiid unlikely to play at FIBA World Cup, France coach says, who called Owens a mentor and dear friend, reportedly became Beamons unofficial coach. The reason Susan has been able to coach Konnor through her gymnastics career is that its such a small program, unlike some larger more acclaimed gyms. Follow on . We dont know where Konnors journey will take her during the 2021 season, the 2024 season, and beyond, but we can be certain that wherever she goes, she will carve her own path and lead the way. At her first camp, Konnor was 12 years old, and placed in a rotation group with Ragan Smith, Emma Malabuyo, and Maile OKeefe. Through Turmoil, Heartbreak And Injuries, Konnor McClain Is Back On The The hope is to have her ready for the World Championships in the fall. McClain was one of five gymnasts featured on the Peacock docuseries Golden: The Journey of USA's Elite Gymnasts. As a teenager, Konnor makes me feel SEEN. There McClain was on Sunday night during the final night of the 2022 championships, the talent that had always been apparent on full display, buoyed by a self-belief borne out of a mix of loss, grief and determination. Konnor decided to switch gyms because things just kept going poorly at her gym. Konnor McClain, rising U.S. gymnast, focuses on 2024 Olympic cycle The gymnastics that came so easily for so long to the precocious teenager had turned shaky. I just loved going along with it because they started it, she said. The National Team Camp was a hurdle for Konnor, who was still recovering from her stomach infection but did not meet the petitioning requirements and had to compete for a spot. McClain, who recently changed gyms to move from West Virginia to WOGA in Texas, is focusing on the next Olympic cycle, possibly beginning with the world championships in October in Japan, her mom said Wednesday, confirming an Inside Gymnastics report. Until then, I saw myself as just another local yokel, Boston, who called Owens a mentor and dear friend, said last year. bus timetable trinity beach to smithfield; alabama state senators; carrie harkness flagler; i am very sorry for what i did meme; does texas hill country get tornadoes; why did konnor mcclain switch gyms. I was very unmotivated, I didn't want to go to the gym, I didn't care about the Olympics and I just wanted to be done with gymnastics completely because it felt like there was a part of me that was like missing and that's what I told her.". In the final, Beamonsfirst jump was so far that the measuring device couldnt extend far enough to record it. Konnors mother Lorinda confirmed the news and said her daughter began training at WOGA on Tuesday (May, 25th) and will now be coached by Valeri Liukin. I just know that., Shilese Jones Star Turn Puts Her In Pole Position Going Into Day 2 At Gymnastics Nationals, When School Let Out, These Three Star Gymnasts Resumed Their Quest To Be The Best, Juniors Dulcy Caylor, Tiana Sumanasekera Represent A Talented Next Generation Of U.S. Gymnasts. "You know, to fall twice and still end up in second place, this just really only the beginning for me.''. In August 1960, Boston broke Owens world record in the long jump that stood since 1935. I just tried to make it to this competition because coming here was a really hard road for me. When the Olympics were postponed, McClain became eligible to make the U.S. team, but a difficult start to her 2021 campaign prompted her to withdraw from the Olympic process, switch gyms from Revolution to WOGA and commit to a more relaxed training schedule that she hopes will lead her to Paris 2024. As a child I idolized him and he was a major influence in my life. I'll miss his voice and support. Menu. Muramoto and Takahashi made their competitive debut as a dance couple in November 2020 and missed the 2022 Olympic team by one spot. Going back to school at the peak of her gymnastics career is another choice Konnor and her family made that was right for her at the time, even though it wasnt the status quo. McClain at that point was especially low. She then performed a balance beam routine in front of a studio audience. Boston leaped 8.21 meters, eight centimeters better than Owens. So we just thought that would be best physically and mentally to withdraw her and focus more on the future and what our initial path was. Coaches can tell athletes they need to strengthen specific muscles or should try different exercises, but no, you shouldnt teach your child its OK for people who arent doctors to make recommendations about your health. Takahashi switched to ice dance after his singles farewell at the December 2019 Japanese Championships. Laurie cant wait to be a crowd pleaser again. Laurie talks about how she was really happy with the silver medal she got at Rio and she just wants to emulate that performance and feeling. College Gym News was founded in 2015 by Editor-in-Chief Elizabeth Grimsley. Reed retired in 2019. You're going to have to refocus. You won. Konnors dad says the reason people dont like Valeri is because he pushes girls so hard, but why else would they be there. It was easy to end my career, in 1968, Boston said. CROSS LANES, W.Va. (WCHS) Because of the pandemic, 2020 was a very difficult year for so many people. When McClain arrived, Anna Liukin remembers finding a teenager nursing ankle injuries and her confidence level completely down. Her coach knows her so welljust from her emotions, from her facial expressions, from her body language, Lorinda shared. I always tell people if it wasn't gymnastics, Konnor would strive to go to the Olympics in another sport. Unlike most of the NBC gymnastics pieces from over the years, these episodes take a more serious angle. That includesKyla Ross, the 2011 U.S. junior all-around silver medalist who made the 2012 Olympic team. . Valeri Liukin, a co-founder and owner of WOGA, had also built a relationship with McClain from his time as the elite development coordinator from USA Gymnastics. The night she got home from Classic, she cleared everything out of her locker, which is commemorated in a TikTok, obviously. In the run-up to the 1968 Olympics, Boston reportedly became Beamons unofficial coach after Beamon and other UTEP track athletes lost their scholarships for boycotting a meet against BYU because of the Mormon churchs historically racist views. Its easier to take it inif Im not OK, its OK now. Gymnastics Championships on Aug. 21, 2022 in Tampa, Fla. TAMPA, Fla. Konnor McClain arrived at World Olympic Gymnastics Academy in Texas a year ago as a broken soul. I loved them almost more than anyone in the world.. An organic, homegrown gymnast through and through, her success has come from her own methods, rather than from following the usual formula. Honestly for a really good two or three months it was kind of like a seesaw, ups and downs, Liukin recalled. In retrospect, this was probably the perfect way to find out about the news that was going to rule her entire life for the next year or so. At first [driving] was definitely scarier than gymnastics. Knowing that Konnor was talented from the start, Susan made sure she educated herself about training an elite gymnast and what she had to learn - Konnor is Susans first and so far, only elite gymnast. One gymnast, however, is not performing the way shes capable. Now shes eyeing a place in the US team alongside superstar Simone Biles. We get an explanation as to why its so important that gymnasts peak at certain times, and how challenging that makes the sport. Konnor and her mom have been living in and out of hotels since she got to Texas. Being the only Black girl in her group, Konnor felt uncomfortable in the environment. Born in 2005, McClain was originally too young to compete at the 2020 Games, but the postponement of the Olympics suddenly made her age eligible for Tokyo, drastically changing her plans. I never thought this could happen, ever, McClain said. It has been a long year," Lorinda McClain said. With Lee and the rest of her Tokyo Olympic teammates either in NCAA, taking a break from elite competition, or retired, McClain finds herself quickly as one of the leaders of a USA team that has long dominated womens gymnastics. On the first rotation Sunday, McClain turned a .8 deficit into a 1.1-point lead after Jones fell on beam and McClain nailed her double twisting Yurchenko vault. So now, it's definitely a better feel. She won the Winter Cup in late February but had trouble staying healthy during the spring and early summer. Its starting to feel real. McClain learned the Olympics were postponed in March 2020, this making her age-eligible for Tokyo, while watching The Hunger Games: Catching Fire., Just to make it to the Olympic Trials would be such an accomplishment, especially for her being young, her mom said in April 2020. I am thrilled to see former Olympians working for large media outlets and promoting the sport. When McClain started her recruiting process, she began to tease fans about her collegiate choice, dropping real and fake clues on social media about the schools she was considering. Why is it a big deal? It's a goal that appears in reach if she can build on two days that showcased her power, precision and maturity. Konnor initially started at a gym where Susan coached, and when Susan opened her own gym in 2009 closer to home, Konnor followed. Almost two months to the day of her fathers passing, McClain entered her first event of the 2022 season, the Winter Cup Challenge. Im not sure Ive seen MyKayla in the gym with just her coaches and no family members once this entire series. Following U.S. Championships last year, a number of athletes made the switch to new gyms. I was like, 'OK, then I got it.' On vault, MyKayla has a solid landing, with a 14.975. Wearing a bedazzled red leotard with her bun held in place by a matching red scrunchie, McClain was up by a half-point going into the final rotation but lost her balance while trying to complete a wolf turn spin on floor exercise. She's the one who wanted to do it. Laurie helps like she needs to redeem herself from her Classic performance before championships. McClain was expected to be a part of the 2020 Olympic team, but a rough season combined with injuries led her to abruptly switch coacheswhich is a decision not normally made during an Olympic . She was interested in four other schools, she revealed, including Georgia, Utah and Oklahoma, and it was a very hard decision in the end.. My confidence has grown so much just in the last couple months, she said. Ive never even thought about it, she said. Finally, McClain began to feel the weight of expectations, leaving her with a sense that she wasn't doing it for the right reasons anymore. After a half-hour process to locate and lay out tape, it was Boston who broke the news to Beamon that he had jumped 8.90 meters,improving the world record by nearly two feet. MyKaylas nieces, nephew, sister, husband and mom are with her in the gym. Also in qualifying, Beamon fouled his first two of three jumps, giving him one last chance to make the final. As a child I idolized him and he was a major influence in my life. She began walking the balance beam and doing backbend kickovers before age 2, mimicking her 4-year-old sister. She skipped last years nationals (and a shot at Olympic Trials) to focus on 2024 after moving from West Virginia to Texas to train under AnnaandValeri Liukin, the parents of 2008 Olympic gold medalistNastia Liukin. McClain says she didnt have expectations to win the Winter Cup, just getting back into the gym and then competition had been hard enough. Just doing routines over and over again, and knowing I can do the routines and coming to the competition knowing I can make it too. McClain, who recently changed gyms to move from West Virginia to WOGA in Texas, is focusing on the next Olympic cycle, possibly beginning with the world championships in October in Japan, her mom said Wednesday, confirming an Inside Gymnastics report. That made McClain the highest-ranked, first-year U.S. senior woman in 2021. In a split second, her Olympic dream was just 12 months down the road. She falls on bars, then on beam. While McClain made her peace with how this year started, coming to the conclusion that 2021 wasnt her time, shes more committed than ever to turn 2024 into her Olympic year. Theyve decided to keep shooting for 2024 as their ultimate goal, especially as Konnor has already faced some serious setbacks this year, including foot surgery and a stomach infection that set her back about three months. Theyre not medical professionals nor dietitians. McClain began Sunday just less than a point behind Jones but took the lead in the first rotation when she drilled her double-twisting Yurchenko vault while Jones hopped off the balance beam. U.S. all-around champion Konnor McClain posted that she will miss the world gymnastics championships that start in three weeks due to a back injury, writing that her season is "officially over . I didnt want to, but I was so done. McClain became the sixth woman to win the all-around in her senior nationals debut since 2000. Everything. The video was originally uploaded by Konnor's mom, Lorinda McClain, because Konnor liked watching herself after practice. This is a blessing, Susan shared. Consider donating to support our efforts throughout the year! Laurie had fallen on her landing during warmups and hurt her knee. A little more than a year before the Games, she reset her sights from 2024 to 2021. She really held it together for me. At least one woman who turned 16 or younger in the Olympic year made the last 10 U.S. Olympic teams. Despite their close friendship with Konnor's old coach, Konnor's parents . Maybe I cant do it all the time, maybe Im not perfect all the time. Konnor McClain competes during the women's balance beam at the 2022 U.S. In the run-up to the 1968 Olympics, Boston reportedly became Beamons unofficial coach after Beamon and other UTEP track athletes lost their scholarships for boycotting a meet against BYU because of the Mormon churchs historically racist views. OlympicTalk is on Apple News. Though everyone is excited about her Olympic eligibility, Konnor is focused on one thing at a time. "If my dad dies, I die," she wrote on Snapchat in late December. So she can figure out sometimes without Konnor having to talk just from her body language.. The infection limited her to only two events at Winter Cup, which was supposed to be her senior debut. Like what you see? I literally thought that I was the most garbage gymnast ever, she said this week. She arrived in Florida last week hoping to simply build momentum toward the world championship selection camp in October. The video was originally uploaded by Konnors mom, Lorinda McClain, because Konnor liked watching herself after practice. my #1 supporter, i love and miss you more than words can describe https://t.co/zC4owvGqzd. In gut-wrenching social media posts, she questioned if she even wanted to continue in the sport. Following in the footsteps of two of her cousins, Konnor is considering becoming a firefighter in the future. Takahashi switched to ice dance after his singles farewell at the December 2019 Japanese Championships. Sensing Beamons nerves, Boston told his younger teammate to move it back three feet with a cautious jump to avoid fouling, Beamon later said. But now, I feel like it's pushed me to be better at gymnastics and a better person. Sitting on the couch next to her sister, Liv told Konnor to open the app. A post shared by Konnor McClain (@konnormcclain_). So as an example informed Australian, this seems like a big deal. "She was like, 'Yes, you can.' She was like, 'I felt the same way, too, at one point,'" McClain told Olympics.com of her conversations with the Olympic champion. I'm getting better at driving, she shares. Susan and Lorinda have been friends since grade school, working at the local pool, doing gymnastics together, and going to college and cheerleading together. The U.S. has won every world team title dating back to 2011 and won gold at London 2012 and Rio 2016 before taking silver in Tokyo. Learn how your comment data is processed. One of the national team coaches told Lorinda that Konnor didnt say a word to them until she was 12 years old, but she was always happy to talk to Susan. Getting to know Konnor McClain - one of Team USA's fastest rising stars. I don't know. Since then, the site has transformed into a one-stop-shop for college gymnastics news, from recruiting analysis to meet coverage at the NCAA national championships thanks to the hard work of 15-plus contributors. Elite-level gymnastics. The Liukins are well-known in the sport. A national title? Susan says she did talk about politics, but only sometimes. She loved my dad. Drury seems exhausted from her training, which Laurie relates to. The gymnastics that came so easily for so long to the precocious teenager had turned shaky. I was like, I don't want to be in the house any longer. The transformation that began when she switched gyms in a rush last spring ended with the 17-year-old . Viewers especially enjoyed watching her compete at Winter Cup because of her floating beam series, where instead of merely completing a skill, she appears to be hovering over the apparatus with all the time in the world to float in the air and complete the flip. Everybody needed to see thatevery gymnast and every girl, every human being in the world needed to see that, McClain said. Since she was moving so early, Lorinda enrolled her in a mommy and me class at 16 months. I recognized Konnor's talent early on, and she's always been a super serious kid. As for her drivers license, she has her permit, but plans to wait a bit to get her license as she has quite a few things going onlike preparing for the Olympics. Its a lot different, I wont have to switch up [my plan] in a year or less.. At just 17 years old, four-time U.S. Women's National Team member Konnor McClain is a rising star in the sport of gymnastics and a leading contender to represent the U.S. at the Paris Olympic Games in 2024. The process has been arduous, both inside and outside the gym. Thousands of miles away as Marc clung to life on a ventilator, McClain was despondent. He would be so proud of me, she said. "Golden" Episode 2 Recap - College Gym News She gets a 15.300. Konnor also has cousins playing DI college baseball, college football, soccer, and basketball. ", When asked how she mentally prepares before competing a beam routine, she admitted, I feel like my brain is scattered before beam even though it shouldn't be, I feel like it is.. McClain and Jones were followed in the U.S. Championships all-around standings by Tokyo Olympic team silver medalist Jordan Chiles, University of Florida freshman Kayla DiCello(who said at nationals that she did not plan to go for the world team) and Tokyo Olympic floor exercise championJade Carey.
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