Verified. "I just want them to know that I'm proud of them no matter what, whether they're gymnasts or not, just because they're human.". You can find out more and change our default settings with Cookies Settings. McKenna, who's now 24, was co-champion of the Nastia Liukin Cup, an annual U.S. competition hosted by the former Olympian, in 2014. 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. [28][29][30] In 2019, Retton became a spokesperson for Australian Dream, a pain relief cream. Please select the topics you're interested in: Would you like to turn on POPSUGAR desktop notifications to get breaking news ASAP? I hadnt done that in over 30 years. pic.twitter.com/FayDig23lR, LSU Gymnastics (@LSUgym) April 21, 2019. 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. She also says she checked comments on her social media pages something she doesnt normally do to see if her story inspired anybody going through the same thing. I popped a rib last week, so thats pretty painful. When Louisiana State University gymnast McKenna Kelley nailed the final floor routine of the night at the NCAA Women's Gymnastics Championships on Saturday, no one was prouder than her mom, Olympic gold medalist Mary Lou Retton. McKenna won her first gymnastics competition when she was 17. See Her Now. They'll always second guess themselves, from what they say to how they look. All four of my children were born here, and my husband is from here. ")[7] Her father, Ronnie, operated a coal-industry transportation equipment business. She moved back to Houston in 2012. This is your last routine, she shared. Mary Lou Retton a member of the 1984 Olympic gymnastics team won five medals in LA. Wherever she ends up next year, shes sure to dazzle. May 24, 2016, 8:55 AM. document.addEventListener( 'DOMContentLoaded', function() { McKenna Kelley, daughter of Mary Lou Retton, blazes her own trail in gymnastics 2492 days ago Laurie Bern Special to espnW.com When your mom is Olympic gymnastics superstar Mary Lou Retton and you take up her sport, there are bound to be certain expectations. Get daily fitness inspiration right in your inbox. 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. But my mom never, ever put pressure on us. #sbs2019 #proudmamma #threedownonetogo.. 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. Retton said she and Kelley simply grew apart. "I travel from January to May watching them compete, and that is the joy of my life. As Kelley took her final bow after her stellar performance, the crowd went wild. It was a special weekend for the RI Sports Commission, GoProvidence, and Convention Center! She has been with the brand since starting as an intern nearly six years ago, covering all things entertainment across print and digital platforms. A lot of people were surprised.. One gold, two silver and two bronze. I dont think I understood the enormity of what she did and the groundbreaking gymnastics she did at the time. 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. But after all is said and done, she is just a kid from a small West Virginia town who has become one of the most familiar faces and most beloved citizens in the fourth-largest city in America. A post shared by shay schrep (@shaylaschrepfer). Ill probably have some more operations in the future, but its alright.. https://twitter.com/mckennamckelley/status/1120331854186536962. View this post on Instagram. 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). RELATED: Nadia Comneci Scored a Perfect 10 at the Olympics 45 Years Ago. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate. While McKenna grew up with a world-famous Olympian, she says that her mom never pressured her into becoming a gymnast. 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Speaking to Parade in 2016, the gold medalist noted that she doesn't give them pointers about the sport unless they ask for it. She also scored a perfect 10 on a floor exercise at a meet against Oregon State University. Gymnast Carly Patterson Won Olympic Gold 17 Years Ago. See Her Now. "Her voice is so distinct, and I can always hear it in the crowd," she told ESPN. See Her Now. Mary Lou Retton and McKenna Kelley | Mary Lou. Retton's daughter McKenna Kelley followed in her mother's footsteps, competing in gymnastics for Louisiana State University in 2019. With a famous mom like Olympic gymnastics superstar Mary Lou Retton, there must be some pressure for her daughter, McKenna Kelley, to take up the mantle of gymnastics greatness. Kelley scored a stellar 9.95. pic.twitter.com/YrERX9CtZ3. RELATED:Nadia Comneci Scored a Perfect 10 at the Olympics 45 Years Ago. Fast-forward today, and that's all you see because that is how the sport has evolved to benefit powerful, athletic gymnasts. "She's a hollerer, for sure.". RETTON AND SKYLAS RESEMBLANCE DID NOT GO UNNOTICED. Olympic Gymnast Mary Lou Retton Cheers on Daughter at NCAA Womens Gymnastics Championships. Ahead of her daughters last outing on the floor, Retton revealed that she told Kelley to make sure to enjoy the moment. See Her Now. [33] Despite these efforts, on February 14, 2018, the Protecting Young Victims from Sexual Abuse and Safe Sport Authorization Act of 2017 was signed into law and became effective immediately. [25], During the 1990s, Retton worked as a spokeswoman, appearing in advertisements for the U.S. drugstore chain Revco. If it weren't already a known fact, it would be hard to tell Retton is a mother of four! Now live in Houston with her husband and their four kids. At 26 years old, Shayla is Retton's eldest daughter. Kelley is a senior at LSU, which means this may have been her last performance with the team. In addition to McKenna, Retton has three other daughters with ex Shannon Kelley: Shayla Rae, 24, Skyla Brae, 19, and Emma Jean, 16. [3] She did rack up some impressive scores on the mat in high school, however. She retired from gymnastics after graduating college, but McKenna is still involved with the sport in her own way. Retton was thrust back into the spotlight when the USA Gymnastics sex abuse scandal hit the news in 2016. These signs can't quit complaining to anyone who will listen. [6] (The original family name was "Rotunda. She'll be starting her junior year this fall and is in the Alpha Phi sorority. But that kind of gymnastics has gone. "I tell her every season, 'McKenna, I'm really gonna do it this season. By Uplifting Today / April 24, 2019. 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. When she was 18, Retton retired from professional gymnastics because she "wanted to be remembered as a winner" and not as "some struggling older athlete," per NBC Sports. In 1985, Retton won the American Cup all-around competition for the third and final time. 1,054 Likes, 31 Comments - Mary Lou Retton (@marylouretton) on Instagram: "Having so much fun with this young lady #Mother/DaughterForeverOurLegacy2023" Opening up about her decision to step away, Kelley shared that she feels so at peace.. 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. PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WJAR) Olympic gymnast Mary Lou Retton and her daughter, McKenna Kelley, brought their gymnastics invitational to Rhode Island on Friday. Show More Posts from marylouretton. For Kelley, a senior at LSU, the night was a triumphant personal comeback. However, Skyla did do gymnastics as a child, starting at the age of three. She then decided to move to Houston, Texas, to train under Romanians Bla and Mrta Krolyi, who had coached Nadia Comneci before their defection to the United States. Mary Lou Retton a member of the 1984 Olympic gymnastics team won five metals in LA. 1 day ago, by Victoria Edel She did not arrive at this point in her life unscathed. The retired Olympic gold-medal-winning gymnast revealed her split from her husband of 27 years publicly for the. And we trained hard - 70 vaults a day onto hard surfaces. Retton could be spotted in the stands blowing kisses and holding up 10 fingers for a perfect 10. The legendary woman was giving perfect-10 fingers for her daughter and sending kisses through the air to Kelley on the floor. -- When your mom is Olympic gymnastics superstar Mary Lou Retton and you take up her sport, there are bound to be certain expectations. Details: Welcome to the For Mothers & Daughters Forever Our Legacy Invitational tour with Mary Lou Retton & McKenna Kelley, hosted by LR Productions. "Her voice is so distinct, and I can always hear it in the crowd," Kelley said. (AP Photo/Sadayuki Mikami). 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. Retton doesn't like to interfere with her kids' gymnastics careers. One fan, @emmadilemma83 wrote alongside a heart emoji: She definitely has your smile!!!! She had sat down to sign autographs when she felt her knee lock, forcing her to undergo an operation five weeks prior to the 1984 Summer Olympics, which were going to be held in Los Angelesthe first time the Summer Olympics had been held in the United States in 52 years. Skyla bears a striking resemblance to Retton, and that comes through as the young beauty stood near the renowned sports star. Born with hip dysplasia and battered by years of constant training as a teenager, she has undergone 19 surgical procedures, including replacements for both hips and underwent back surgery in June prompted by a degenerative bone disorder. Retired American gymnast, Mary Lou Retton, took to social media to celebrate her look-alike daughter, Skylas graduation from high school. Gosh it brings it all back!!! Naturally, the reminders and . 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 . I wanted to tell people why., I knew I wanted to do it in a classy way, she continues. 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. Kerri Strug's Heroic Vault Was 25 Years Ago. "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. See Her Now. At the same Olympics, Retton won four additional medals: silver in the team competition and the horse vault, and bronze in the floor exercise and uneven bars. Brianne Tracy is a staff writer on the PEOPLE music team. See Her Now. "It's not like today, when you get the results before they appear on television. McKenna and her mom co-host the women's gymnastics tour, "For Mothers and Daughters Forever Our Legacy." It was an especially astonishing return to the top for Kelley, who sat out her junior year because of a torn Achilles tendon. The asymmetrical neckline of the top had the star flaunting her beautiful neckline and the short length of the skirt, her well-toned legs. Retton is executive producer and star of the show, a series for under-6 set. Experts give insight into the biggest social media lies. May Lou five medals on display in her home. The last routine of the night was Kelleys, for which she earned a 9.95, which is only .05 from a perfect 10 score. Who can blame a mom, when there's so much to cheer about? Gosh it brings it all back!!! She was coached by Gary Rafaloski. See Her Now. Mary Lou Retton is an American retired gymnast and Olympian. She and her wife, Molly, are the proud moms of two formerly stray cats, Sophie and Pierre, and a rescue dog named Gracie. Retton was every bit the proud mama when she decided to share a picture of herself and her beautiful daughter. And I just can't help myself!" 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. See Her Now. (Not in Picture). Though Retton felt lonely throughout the process, she says she had the support of the couples four daughters Shayla, 23, McKenna, 21, Skyla, 18, and Emma, 16. However, Skyla did do gymnastics as a child, starting at the age of three. Kerri Strug's Heroic Vault Was 25 Years Ago. In the backyard play area Mary Lou with her four daughters Shayla,9 McKenna,7 Skyla,4 and Emma,2 Mary Lou Retton a member of the 1984 Olympic gymnastics team won five metals in LA.