He died in late December. Picking up the pieces to rebuild the 16-year-old, regarded as one of the most talented gymnasts in the country, would be a gargantuan task for her new coaches, Valeri and Anna Liukin. Konnor decided to switch gyms because things just kept going poorly at her gym. In March 2020, Reed died of a sudden cardiac issue at age 30. "Golden" Episode 5 Recap - College Gym News Shes really taught me, and shes really built me up all the way from developmental camp, said McClain. Boston broke the mens long jump world record six times between 1960-65 and shared the record going into the 1968 Mexico City Games. In the beginning, warmup is definitely always very nerve wracking for me. OlympicTalk is on Apple News. Her gymnastics, she said, was garbage. Her confidence shattered. Laurie said that she was having a nervous breakdown before Classic. She's a little older and can handle more, Lorinda shared. By Chrs McDougall | TAMPA, Fla. (AP) Konnor McClain arrived in Texas last spring adrift, her confidence shattered. One gymnast, however, is not performing the way shes capable. Whether the E panel thinks this is a switch ring where the foot is too low or a switch leap where the foot is too high, she's losing 0.3 on the element. However, Susan often brought up outside topics like Donald Trump or things happening in China, instead of being focused on gymnastics. I literally thought that I was the most garbage gymnast ever, she said this week. The thought of switching gyms had been looming in McClain's mind for the past year and half, but it wasn't an easy move to make. When she walked between six and a half and seven months old, Lorinda was concerned it was too early and even called a physical therapist to make sure it was okay. For Susan, the meet was memorable for an entirely different reason. 2006 - Present FloSports, Inc. All rights reserved. It was easy to end my career, in 1968, Boston said. And then she said based on how this will go, maybe she can do two classes next year. But I was not expecting the outcome that happened.. 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. 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. She doesn't really want to watch gymnastics tonight. Her sister was also on my team, and theyd both put on their leotards and come out and, and Konnor would just slide down in the most perfect split with pointed toes at two years old and do a backbend kickover., It was a good thing Konnor found a coach she loved and didnt mind showing off in front of, since she was a shy kid. Beamon heeded the advice and advanced. Boston leaped 8.21 meters, eight centimeters better than Owens. I was like, 'OK, then I got it.' In 2018, he returned to singles skating after a four-year retirement. Even in Mommy and Me class, Konnor McClain was precocious. We thought we were on the slow and steady. She wanted to go and see her friends that she hadn't seen since third grade. At 15, @konnormcclain_ wasnt old enough to compete at #Tokyo2020 until the Games were postponed. 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. It was easy to end my career, in 1968, Boston said. Empower Team USA athletes to achieve sustained competitive excellence and well-being. 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.. If we had a good day of training, enjoy this, appreciate it, be grateful for this and stay present. After the death of her father in December 2021, McClain turned to Olympic champion Sunisa Lee for support and guidance. Shes been homeschooled since fourth grade to focus on gymnastics, and just started going to high school as a sophomore to take one class a day, art, and then goes to gymnastics in the afternoons. The first step is the September training camp later this month, which will select the U.S. team for the world championships in October. Get the most important Gymnastics stories delivered straight to your inbox. Eventually, the special relationship she already felt with the LSU coaching staff, as well as her close friendship with incoming freshman Aleah Finneganshe talked me into committing and liking LSU, McClain saidmade her choose the Tigers. . 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. He would be so proud of me, she said. So sometimes we drive Konnor crazy, Lorinda shared, laughing. I've always gone to their house, and Konnor was just two years old, and her mom would say, Don't put your leotard on when Susan comes over. Konnor McClain, U.S. gymnastics champion, to miss world championships I am thrilled to see former Olympians working for large media outlets and promoting the sport. I wasnt expecting this year to happen, so going into this year, it was hard on my mind, she said. 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. 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. She wore a small patch with the letters MM on the back of her leotard, a tribute to the painful reality shed been living. How Konnor McClain Carves Her Own Path To Success Remember your 'why', remember why you started, remember how proud you made your dad. The other five later won Olympic and/or world all-around titles, the most recent Simone Biles. [Coach] Anna [Liukin] gave me the patch three days before the competition. Muramoto and Takahashi made their competitive debut as a dance couple in November 2020 and missed the 2022 Olympic team by one spot. Maybe, just maybe, the best for her was not letting her compete while she was throwing up in a bag. 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. Ive never even thought about it, she said. And then the Olympics is definitely there in the back of my mind, but I don't want to think about it too much right now, calling the 2024 Olympics her final goal, something shes been saying since she was at least 11. Unlike most of the NBC gymnastics pieces from over the years, these episodes take a more serious angle. When McClain arrived, Anna Liukin remembers finding a teenager nursing ankle injuries and her confidence level completely down. 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. Ralph Boston, who in 1960 brokeJesse Owens world record in the long jump and then won the Olympic title, died at age 83, according to Tennessee State, his alma mater, and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic alumni association. She left Revolution to be coached by Liukin Ive said it once, and Ill say it again. Sunis dad mentions how he thought a leotard cost maybe 20 bucks. Oh boy, wouldnt that be nice. And I havent felt the joy for the sport in a long time. She's a great sister, she's a great daughter, she's the easiest kid. Konnor McClain moves to WOGA. Then, at the U.S. Classic in May 2021, she struggled. July 6, 2021 College Gym News Elite, Featured, Musings, Recap. Unlike most of the NBC gymnastics pieces from over the years, these episodes take a more . So this one element cost her a LOT and didn't gain her anything. 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 . The pressure is palpable in the arena as the meet is the first of three competitions that will end up selecting the U.S. Olympic team for Tokyo 2020. Luckily for her, this National Team is only for a few months, and will be renamed at U.S. Championships, where she will get another shot to make it back on. Learn how your comment data is processed. She gets a 15.300. In short, the episodes are far from The Ranch documentary from 2016. On vault, MyKayla has a solid landing, with a 14.975. Along with learning logistics, Susan sought out a sports psychologist to gain confidence in coaching the mental aspects of gymnastics and wisdom to not get overwhelmed and give in to self-doubt. Susan feels like Konnors family could have handled the situation better because what they did was so sudden. I mean, she was in her meet mode, and I could just tell that's what she was doing. McClain had no idea, and even an hour later was still struggling to comprehend it. Id won a gold, silver and a bronze in that order. Following in the footsteps of two of her cousins, Konnor is considering becoming a firefighter in the future. My confidence has grown so much just in the last couple months, she said. The process has been arduous, both inside and outside the gym. Its a hard task for a 17-year-old. Were at the championships in Fort Worth, Texas. AndLaurie Hernandez, the 2015 U.S. junior all-around champion who made the 2016 Olympic team. Many people were intrigued by the video because at four years old, Konnor was practicing incredibly advanced skills for her age. Just looking back at last year and being where I was last year, this is so crazy to me. McClain was expected to be a factor in the run-up to the 2020 Olympics but struggled so much early in the competition season last spring that she needed to make a change, moving abruptly from West Virginia to Texas. But now, I feel like it's pushed me to be better at gymnastics and a better person. Takahashis greatest success came in 2010, when he became the first Japanese man to win an Olympic figure skating medal (bronze) and a world title. Being the only Black girl in her group, Konnor felt uncomfortable in the environment. College, however, will have to wait until the fall of 2024, as before then McClain will seek to finally achieve that Olympic dream shes had since she was a child. Slowly the coaches began building her back up. The team won't be selected until mid-October. She starts crying, hates everything, and at the end of the meet, even thinks of quitting gymnastics for good. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Your email address will not be published. The thought of uprooting her family also weighed on her mind. A lot. I'll miss his voice and support. Comment document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "a3860ed09bb427606f3c16e2d8cddaf3" );document.getElementById("af034859ed").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Were just trying to get her back on track. Her dad passed away the day before they left for Italy. I didnt want to, but I was so done. "You know, to fall twice and still end up in second place, this just really only the beginning for me.''. 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. 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. McClains journey still has a long way to go. 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. Konnor had chosen to go to Valeri because of how helpful he was when she was in the development program. 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. Sensing Beamons nerves, Boston told his younger teammate to move it back three feet with a cautious jump to avoid fouling, Beamon later said. She made it to the arena that weekend, but not to compete. A star on the junior level, McClain won the U.S. all-around silver medal in 2019, then went on to the inaugural junior world championships as the alternate for the American team. Konnor McClain, a U.S. gymnast who would not have been old enough for an Olympics in 2020 but became age-eligible when the Tokyo Games were postponed to 2021, will not compete in the national championships or the Olympic Trials this month. Drury seems exhausted from her training, which Laurie relates to. Konnor has some issues with the ligaments in her foot and other issues and wont be going to championships, which means she wont be going to Olympic Trials. Konnor McClain (Revolution) She turned her focus instead to her. At one point last spring, she felt she was "the most garbage gymnast ever." The 17-year-old announced Wednesday that a back injury will keep her out of the global meet. 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. I mean, she loves my family. She doesn't talk a lot still, but it's so good that Susan knows her. So that was a real learning moment for both of us, because Konnor went all professional on me. Im still in shock a little right now. . Guess what? she said. Im not sure Ive seen MyKayla in the gym with just her coaches and no family members once this entire series. At the U.S. Championships in August, McClain edged Shilese Jonesby .75 of a point after Jones fell on the last skill of her last routine of the competition. I loved them almost more than anyone in the world.. Morgans training for championships but is still sore. 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. This wasnt our initial goal anyway to do Trials or Olympics this year. 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. 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. I'm devastated about Ralph Boston's passing. The hope is to have her ready for the World Championships in the fall. She was like, Here you go. If not for Boston, fellow American long jumperBob Beamonmight not have pulled off the most astonishing feat of those Olympics. Susan and Lorinda have been friends since grade school, working at the local pool, doing gymnastics together, and going to college and cheerleading together. TAMPA, Fla. -- Konnor McClain arrived in Texas last spring adrift, her confidence shattered. 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. Like what you see? What has been the hardest skill for your gymnast to acquire or get so far? Gymnastics Championships on Aug. 21, 2022 in Tampa, Fla. Coming into Tampa, she cautiously listed her goal as simply. "I still think we're going to be able to pull through and have an amazing outcome,'' Chiles said. The gymnastics that came so easily for so long to the precocious teenager had turned shaky . 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. She did far more than that, taking the lead through one rotation on Sunday night and never letting go. The next step for McClain and the other top gymnasts will be a selection camp, where five women will be named to the U.S. team for the world championships that start in late October in Liverpool, England. Very interesting switch a week before Nationals! So she can figure out sometimes without Konnor having to talk just from her body language.. From Konnors perspective, though it may look effortless, thats not quite how it feels. Its time for gymnasts to show what theyre capable of. I'm devastated about Ralph Boston's passing. Required fields are marked *. Reed retired in 2019. Its not a coachs place to say what someones weight should be. She's really like a sister to me, Susan shared, making Konnors coaching experience more like a family one. with a free Peacock account. As a child I idolized him and he was a major influence in my life. Konnor McClain competes during the women's balance beam at the 2022 U.S. Takahashis greatest success came in 2010, when he became the first Japanese man to win an Olympic figure skating medal (bronze) and a world title. You would have never known. It felt like he was there actually just with the patch there. She's the one who wanted to do it. Her grandma passed less than a week later. Ralph Boston, Olympic long jump champion, dies at 83 If not for Boston, fellow American long jumperBob Beamonmight not have pulled off the most astonishing feat of those Olympics. 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.". They werent going to be bookworms, they were going to play sports, Lorinda shared, laughing. 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. Konnor also has cousins playing DI college baseball, college football, soccer, and basketball. Instead, Jones who has faced hardships of her own this past year, and also lost her dad last December sat down on her dismount. Konnor McClain Wins 2022 U.S. Gymnastics Championships As Black - MSN When it comes to this season, Konnor says, Olympic Trials is definitely my goal right now. Ngl, that seems like a blast. Konnor decided to switch gyms because things just kept going poorly at her gym. McClain at that point was especially low. For 2024, we had everything worked out, we were feeling good about it, we have plenty of time. But despite an error on the uneven bars McClain won the competition. Then, last December, Marc contracted COVID-19. Three weeks later, Boston took gold at the Rome Olympics. Besides gymnastics, Konnor is just your average teenager, getting her drivers permit and attending public schoolwell, as of two weeks ago at least. Its such a big difference being so confident and not being garbage anymore. The gymnastics that came so easily for so long to the precocious teenager had turned shaky. A committee will choose the five-woman world team after the selection camp. 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. Winter Cup Live Blog | Balance Beam Situation 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. 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. I didnt really have the love for gymnastics, McClain said. Its not uncommon for elite gymnasts to have a Triple A personality and take any setback as a catastrophe, Liukin said. It doesn't matter where are you're going to end up,' she said. Ongoing problems at her gym exacerbated, making her struggle with motivation. Switching gyms with less than a month to go before Olympic Trials is not something you see often (ever?). I'm like, Wow. @simone_biles@usagym@gymnastics pic.twitter.com/BwLgNiOLXd, It's just something that we weren't expecting, Lorinda explained. I would say I had very low goals for myself at this competition, so I went in really thinking, 'Just do your best. The video was originally uploaded by Konnor's mom, Lorinda McClain, because Konnor liked watching herself after practice. Uncertain. Boston was reportedly an inspiration for Beamon, having spoken in front of Beamon and his classmates in a high school gym in 1964. Then, step-by-step she marched toward that goal. It was kind of crazy.. "Anything can happen,'' McClain said. I'm wondering whether she was crying because a) she was unhappy at Revolution (and the WOGA move is a response to that). She was very hard on herself, Anna Liukin said. Most gymnasts change coaches frequently as they move through levels until they start working with their elite coach, but Susan Brown has coached Konnor since she was three years old. If youd like to watch along, the episodes are available here with a free Peacock account. Required fields are marked *. Its a great routine, especially after falling at Classic. So as an example informed Australian, this seems like a big deal. Always has been, she just has a great personality and she's a good kid, Lorinda shared. The first time when we were invited to National Team Camp, they asked me if I thought she was ready. Granted, Gabby switched her head coach within a closer time frame before Rio, but Christian had already been coaching her. 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. Having grown since then, one thing that Lorinda and Susan can attest to is that her perfectionism and attention to detail has stayed consistent. Gymnasts cant compete in major senior international meets until the year they turn 16, so she would have been too young for the Tokyo Games had they been held in 2020. WAG - Konnor McClain to WOGA | ChalkBucket Known for her powerful yet technically proficient gymnastics, McClain performed a show-stopping beam routine Friday, posting the highest score of the night on that event. I just tried to make it to this competition because coming here was a really hard road for me. As recently as two weeks ago, it wasnt a given that McClain would even be ready for nationals. She has some wobbles and doesnt do her real dismount. The two have had a long friendship, dating back to their days attending U.S. developmental program camps together. Our kids had no choice. Susan says she still loves Konnor and wants the best for her. Konnor McClain - Wikipedia 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. She amazes me that everything she does is tight with pointed toes. I've said it once, and I'll say it again.
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