It was just meant to be that way. Your email address will not be published. McClain was born in Nevada. However, Jones was in position to regain it if she once again hit her uneven bars routine, which had scored the highest of any routine on Friday night. Were just trying to get her back on track. OlympicTalk is on Apple News. The process seemed to be working. Takahashi was trying to become the first figure skater to compete in the Olympics in their career in both singles and ice dance as medal events, according to Olympedia.org. It was more, Wow. Laurie had fallen on her landing during warmups and hurt her knee. As a teenager, Konnor makes me feel SEEN. A production company owned by LeBron James began filming her journey as part of a Peacock docuseries about Olympic womens gymnastics hopefuls. It felt like he was there actually just with the patch there. Ralph Boston, Olympic long jump champion, dies at 83 I just can't really explain it. MyKayla talks about how she didnt like gymnastics as a kid, but her mom kept her in it. Join us as we recap each episode. I showed her the rotation, and we just laughed, a fun laugh, like a good, Are you kidding me, type of How cool is this? She began walking the balance beam and doing backbend kickovers before age 2, mimicking her 4-year-old sister. McClain, 17, was due to vie for a spot on the five-woman world team at a selection camp in two weeks. College Gym News is your place for everything you need to know about collegiate gymnastics. She gets a 12.550. Theres nothing for fourth place, so I just said, OK, thats enough.'. Consider donating to support our efforts throughout the year! Did the inspiration for Payson Keelers plot line come from the Skinner family? 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. Even the best in the world cant do it sometimes and has to take a break. She falls on bars, then on beam. "I was having a rough year inside the gym. Sensing Beamons nerves, Boston told his younger teammate to move it back three feet with a cautious jump to avoid fouling, Beamon later said. To the untrained eye, it looks like hes just doodling while Suni practices. Konnor McClains Olympic year was not supposed to go this way. TAMPA, Fla. -- Konnor McClain arrived in Texas last spring adrift, her confidence shattered. "I still think we're going to be able to pull through and have an amazing outcome,'' Chiles said. That seemed to be the theme for many of the gymnasts at that meet. The video was originally uploaded by Konnors mom, Lorinda McClain, because Konnor liked watching herself after practice. Everything was moving fast. Reed retired in 2019. 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. College Gym News is your place for everything you need to know about collegiate gymnastics. Beamon heeded the advice and advanced. She left the building within striking distance of Shilese Jones for the all-around lead. From Konnors perspective, though it may look effortless, thats not quite how it feels. Konnor is no outlier to the family trade - shes been athletically gifted since birth; sitting, crawling, and walking before her peers. That includesKyla Ross, the 2011 U.S. junior all-around silver medalist who made the 2012 Olympic team. I was having a rough year inside the gym. At one point, MyKaylas fathers pay was cut and they didnt think they were going to be able to afford gymnastics, but her coach created a position in the gyms office for her mom. As a child I idolized him and he was a major influence in my life. Perhaps even more remarkable, McClain estimates she's about 75% healthy, optimistic she'll be in even better shape at the world championships in Liverpool, England, this fall. So, I'm feeling really good about the next competitions and camps in the future.. By Chrs McDougall | 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. 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. Then, step-by-step she marched toward that goal. Konnor initially started at a gym where Susan coached, and when Susan opened her own gym in 2009 closer to home, Konnor followed. She wanted to go and see her friends that she hadn't seen since third grade. McClain posted a two-day total of 112.750, just ahead of Shilese Jones at 111.900. Aug. 22, 2022, 3:19 p.m. (ET). This is a blessing, Susan shared. Its so unreal, and I honestly cant believe it. A national title? She amazes me that everything she does is tight with pointed toes. Morgan says it will get easier with time, hopefully. Now, I hate to sound like a broken record, but maybe training with an elbow that isnt fully healed is the reason it hasnt been getting any easier? Rest with the greats. Im ready to come back next year stronger and healthier!. Maybe, just maybe, the best for her was not letting her compete while she was throwing up in a bag. In March 2020, Reed died of a sudden cardiac issue at age 30. "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. In short, the episodes are far from The Ranch documentary from 2016. Morgans training for championships but is still sore. Its the GK U.S. Classic in Indianapolis. Konnor McClain competes during the women's floor exercise at the 2022 U.S. I barely know. 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. Not bad for an athlete nursing stress fractures in both shins and less than a month removed from a concussion suffered during training. Konnors dad says the reason people dont like Valeri is because he pushes girls so hard, but why else would they be there. Team Narrows Selection To 2021 Artistic Gymnastics World Championships, Who We Might See At The 2021 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships, What To Watch For At The 2021 GK U.S. Classic, Cookie Preferences / Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Sunis family would fundraise for Suni to compete by selling T-shirts and doing a banquet where theyd invite friends and family. I'd say this year, just with the age change, was definitely a hard year for me because just running it through my head, thinking about it and seeing it everywhere all over social media was definitely hard, but I've learned just to not think about it and to keep my mind away from it more, instead of just always putting that on myself and putting the pressure on myself, she shared. She did far more than that, taking the lead through one rotation on Sunday night and never letting go. It's definitely really weird because they always call me the baby and they always call me Baby Konnor, and, so, when we went to Winter Cup, everybody was younger than me and I was like, Oh my gosh, they're so tiny and cute, she said. The gymnastics that came so easily for so long to the precocious teenager had turned shaky . Full Name Konnor McClain Nation United States Birthdate February 1, 2005 Status Active Click here for all coverage related to Konnor McClain on The Gymternet. 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. Takahashi switched to ice dance after his singles farewell at the December 2019 Japanese Championships. Then the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 were postponed a year, and a subsequent adjustment to the minimum-age requirement suddenly made her eligible. Once a junior standout herself, McClains career was fast forwarded during the COVID-19 pandemic. I just loved going along with it because they started it, she said. McClain missed last months U.S. Classic, the main pre-nationals tune-up, while recovering from a concussion and stress fractures in both shins. The other five later won Olympic and/or world all-around titles, the most recent Simone Biles. She was like, Here you go. McClain had trained at the same gym, with the same coach, her whole career. 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, who recently moved to Texas to train at WOGA under Valeri Liukin, competes at the 2019 U.S. Championships. A decision was made to pull the plug on 2021, which meant withdrawing from the national championships and Olympic trials. 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. Her and her sister are super closeother than a good gymnast, she's just a good person. Almost two months to the day of her fathers passing, McClain entered her first event of the 2022 season, the Winter Cup Challenge. Yet a year removed from a second-place finish to the Russian in Japan, the Americans appear to be a threat to return to the top of the sport even with reigning Olympic champion Lee and Biles both on sabbaticals from elite competition. I was ready to quit gymnastics, McClain said. And then she said based on how this will go, maybe she can do two classes next year. So this one element cost her a LOT and didn't gain her anything. So sometimes we drive Konnor crazy, Lorinda shared, laughing. Konnor McClain competes at the 2019 U.S. So that was a real learning moment for both of us, because Konnor went all professional on me. I didnt want to, but I was so done. She arrived in Florida last week hoping to simply build momentum toward the world championship selection camp in October. However, Susan often brought up outside topics like Donald Trump or things happening in China, instead of being focused on gymnastics. 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. Like what you see? Theres nothing for fourth place, so I just said, OK, thats enough.'. July 6, 2021 College Gym News Elite, Featured, Musings, Recap. The infection limited her to only two events at Winter Cup, which was supposed to be her senior debut. Always has been, she just has a great personality and she's a good kid, Lorinda shared. This was an easy decision for the family. Konnor McClain rallied past Shilese Jones to win her first U.S. gymnastics national title. Even with reigning Olympic champion Sunisa Lee waiting before returning to elite competition and Simone Biles on a sabbatical, the Americans appear to be in good position to reclaim the top of the podium at the 2022 world championships. Until then, I saw myself as just another local yokel, Boston, who called Owens a mentor and dear friend, said last year. I started hating everything at that point., During that time, she was also filming Peacocks documentary Golden: The Journey of USAs Elite Gymnasts, and she was in such low spirits she was worried about the way she would come across. "Like, there's . I mean, she was in her meet mode, and I could just tell that's what she was doing. [Top athletes] are pulling their coaches to the next level too, in a lot of ways. Boston died Sunday morning after recently suffering a stroke, according to the Tennessean. "If Suni says it, then I can do it." McClain took Lee's words to heart. A very talented, successful and much talked-about gymnast from a very young age, she caught the nations attention in 2016, at only 11 years old, when she featured on Steve Harveys Little Big Shots, proclaiming she had her eyes set on the 2024 Olympic all around title. Now lets pause. I mean, she loves my family. McClains father, Marc, passed away on 27 December due to COVID-19. Follow on . Her score of 13.850 opened the door for Jones, who was waiting to go on uneven bars as McClain's score flashed. Back in 2007, she had to beg people to watch her. In the beginning, warmup is definitely always very nerve wracking for me. The team won't be selected until mid-October. 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. In gut-wrenching social media posts, she questioned if she even wanted to continue in the sport. Required fields are marked *. She lost her father and grandmother in the span of a week around New Year's. I'll miss his voice and support. Despite their close friendship with Konnor's old coach, Konnor's parents . Boston broke the mens long jump world record six times between 1960-65 and shared the record going into the 1968 Mexico City Games. 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. Lorinda's really like my sister, now that I think about it. The two have had a long friendship, dating back to their days attending U.S. developmental program camps together. At the end of it, I was like, How are people going to see me? It kind of took me a long time to get back into the groove of things. Konnor McClain (Revolution) She turned her focus instead to her. Drury seems exhausted from her training, which Laurie relates to. She wore a small patch with the letters MM on the back of her leotard, a tribute to the painful reality shed been living. His first retirement came after placing sixth at his third Olympics in 2014. Lauries watching Charlotte Drury train on trampoline. At first [driving] was definitely scarier than gymnastics. In the few months she spent at WOGA, McClain has already made two important decisions. ", 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.. She's very dedicated, Lorinda shared, always been super self-motivated, able to take corrections super easily, and make the corrections, always a super hard worker., Susan saw the same spark in Konnor as her mom did. "If my dad dies, I die," she wrote on Snapchat in late December. 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. At 15, @konnormcclain_ wasnt old enough to compete at #Tokyo2020 until the Games were postponed. Like what you see? She's a great sister, she's a great daughter, she's the easiest kid. It was kind of crazy.. Though nerve-wracking to compete as a senior, the joy of competition remained the same. At one point last spring, she felt she was "the most garbage gymnast ever." 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. Jumpers, Know his name!!! There were other milestones too, such as her first National Team Camp. Learn how your comment data is processed. The top all-around scorer on the first day of the two-day camp is guaranteed to be on the six-woman traveling team, with one of those six being designated an alternate. McClain at that point was especially low. After an honest conversation with her parents, McClain decided to relocate from Revolution in West Virginia to WOGA in Texas to train with Valeri Liukin, who coached 2008 Olympic champion Nastia Liukin. Madison Kocian and Kyla Ross have come to visit Laurie in training. As we get closer and closer to the Olympics, NBC released the first three episodes of its series "Golden: The Journey of USA's Elite Gymnasts" on its new streaming service, Peacock. When asked separately what their favorite moment in Konnors career has been, both Lorinda and Susan said it was when she won first all-around at Jesolo. Their WOGA gym has produced two Olympic all-around champions, including their daughter Nastia Liukin in 2008. People are going to hate me Because I wasnt even acting like myself.. Obviously, they're two very different things because my dad obviously didn't pass away, but I kind of just told her, Remember your 'why', Lee told Olympics.com. Jess Graba and Alison Lim, Sunis coaches, are getting their kids out the door and to the gym. Theyre not medical professionals nor dietitians. As 2021 was winding down, tragedy struck U.S. gymnast Konnor McClain. In the final, Beamonsfirst jump was so far that the measuring device couldnt extend far enough to record it. McClain by then had a reputation. She doesn't talk a lot still, but it's so good that Susan knows her. Sacrificing family time. . The 17-year-old announced Wednesday that a back injury will keep her out of the global meet. Susan's crazy, and she's been my friend for a long time. She wanted to move gyms. Three weeks later, Boston took gold at the Rome Olympics. I'm devastated about Ralph Boston's passing. The gymnastics that came so easily for so long to the precocious teenager had turned shaky. Besides school and driving, Konnor loves to draw and paint, and is writing two books right now, one about foster kids and the other an autobiography. When I started filming it, I felt I wasnt even myself In the gym, I was so down, and I looked so dead, McClain said. Content Summary [ Hide] 1 1.After Almost Quitting Gymnastics, Konnor McClain Commits to LSU 2 2.Konnor McClain moves to WOGA - Inside Gymnastics Magazine 3 3.Konnor McClain moves to WOGA (confirmed on her IG) : r/Gymnastics 4 4.why did konnor mcclain switch gyms 5 5.Elite gymnast Konnor McClain's abrupt move to WOGA 'all worth it' Konnor McClain found out about her Olympic eligibility the same way everyone else did: on Twitter. Her whole family is there cheering her on, including her dad. The hope is to have her ready for the World Championships in the fall. I really want to do it for myself, she said, and for that little 11-year-old girl who wanted it, too., READ THIS NEXT: After Elite Heartbreak, Aleah Finnegan Is Ready for Fresh Start at LSU. Shes really taught me, and shes really built me up all the way from developmental camp, said McClain. Rest with the greats. Having grown since then, one thing that Lorinda and Susan can attest to is that her perfectionism and attention to detail has stayed consistent. Gymnastics Championships on Aug. 21, 2022 in Tampa, Fla. Coming into Tampa, she cautiously listed her goal as simply hitting her routines. 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. TAMPA, Fla. (AP) Konnor McClain arrived in Texas last spring adrift, her confidence shattered.

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