McKenna and her mom co-host the women's gymnastics tour, "For Mothers and Daughters Forever Our Legacy." Sign up for Yahoo Lifes daily newsletter. Kerri Strug's Heroic Vault Was 25 Years Ago. } ); For her performance, she was named Sports Illustrated Magazine's "Sportswoman of the Year." The teenage beauty was pictured wearing the traditional graduation attire a navy blue graduation gown with oversized sleeves and cap. As for Kelley, she seemed tickled by her mom's pride. [2] Her performance made her one of the most popular athletes in the United States. As Kelley stood up to take a final bow, the sea of purple-and-gold-clad fans went wild. She'll be starting her junior year this fall and is in the Alpha Phi sorority. McKenna, the second of Retton's four daughters with former Texas quarterback Shannon Kelley, started mommy-and-me gymnastics classes at age 2 and rarely left the gym after that. She was one of the most beautiful gymnasts I've ever seen. The tour benefits The McKenna Kelly Foundation, which donates to non-profits focusing on mental health. A women's gymnastics competition tour open to USA Gymnastics, NGA, & AAU levels 1-10 and Xcel divisions. McKenna, the second of Retton's four daughters with former Texas quarterback Shannon Kelley, started mommy-and-me gymnastics classes at age 2 and rarely left the gym after that. 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.. For some fans in attendance, watching Kelley's mom cheer on her performance brought back heartwarming memories of those Olympic games. 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. Ill probably have some more operations in the future, but its alright.. She joined the crowd in repeatedly chanting "10" while flashing both. [11] Together they have four daughters: Shayla (born 1995), McKenna (born 1997), a former NCAA gymnast at Louisiana State University, Skyla (born 2000), and Emma (born 2002). 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. Kelley is a senior at LSU, which means this may have been her last performance with the team. You may have spotted, in the crowd there, Kelleys mom, cheering along with everyone else. 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. 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. Follow. RELATED: See Michael Jordan's Three Oldest Kids All Grown Up. "Honestly, I don't really give advice or get involved unless asked," she explained. 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. There were women saying theyve been in the same predicament as myself [with a] long marriage and thanking me for giving them the hope and courage to continue, she says. [emailprotected]. (AP Photo/Lionel Cironneau), Mayor: HISD has two optionsclose school or be taken over, Rare photos show 2 ocelots crossing South Texas road, Willie Nelson pays lovely tribute to another country legend. Among them, a bona fide gymnastics icon: Kelley's mom, Mary Lou Retton, the first American woman to win an Olympic all-around gold, who was flashing perfect-10 fingers, blowing kisses to Kelley . '", Despite her daughters' success in their athletic pursuits, Retton has said that the main thing she's focused on is their happiness. 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. Trailing Szabo (after uneven bars and balance beam) by 0.15 with two events to go, Retton scored perfect 10s on floor exercise and vaultthe last event in an especially dramatic fashion, as there had been fears that her knee injury and the subsequent surgery might impair her performance. I talked to Shawn Johnson and Nastia Liukin before I went out, and they said it would be an incredible journey thats what I was hoping for, and it certainly was. In the photo, the mother-daughter duo were all smiles with Skyla standing tall beside her world-famous mother. It really is home. Who can blame a mom, when there's so much to cheer about? 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. Growing up, I never had that pressure, Kelley told espnW as a freshman competitor. ( Smiley N. Pool / Chronicle ), Mary Lou Retton and her daughter McKenna Kelley, 11, celebrate with Chellsie Memmel after she was announced as member of the 2008 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. All Rights Reserved. But 30 years ago, the equipment we worked on wasn't so forgiving. Although she didn't compete in any meets during her first year, her career is just beginning. ** 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. Retton said she and Kelley simply grew apart. Mary Lou Retton-Kelley lights up the cauldron during the 2002 Olympic Torch Relay Monday, Dec. 10, 2001, in Houston, TX. She went to The University of Texas, where she met her husband, Shannon Kelly, who played quarterback for the Longhorns. Although Kelley is a senior at LSU, she missed the entirety of her junior season due to injury. Retton, who wed Kelley in 1990, says that there wasnt one defining moment that led to their divorce, which was finalized in February. [12], Retton divorced her husband in February 2018.[13]. You had to watch ABC, because that was the only place to see us. "I tell her every season, 'McKenna, I'm really gonna do it this season. Retton delivered the Pledge of Allegiance with fellow former gymnast and 1996 Olympic gold medalist Kerri Strug on the second night of the 2004 Republican National Convention. She has done an amazing job.. 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. Subscribe to @olympics: http://oly.ch/Subscribe America celebrates following this stunning performance in the Women's Individual All-Round Gymnastics com. [3] 1997), and Emma (b. 1984 Olympic Gymnastics all-around champion, President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, Protecting Young Victims from Sexual Abuse and Safe Sport Authorization Act of 2017, List of Olympic female gymnasts for the United States, List of Olympic medal leaders in women's gymnastics, "Mary Lou RETTON - Olympic Gymnastics Artistic - United States of America", "Amazing Moments in Olympic History- Mary Lou Retton", "Biography of Mary Lou Retton, Olympic Gymnastics Champion", "Boston.com Local Search Boston Globe Archives", "Doing it her way: Mary Lou Retton teaches healthy attitudes to her kids and, now, the rest of us", "HBU Huskies Football Names Shannon Kelley Offensive Assistant Coach", "Mary Lou Retton Divorces Husband Shannon Kelley After 27 Years of Marriage: 'I Felt Very Alone', "Mary Lou beams after sticking her vault to capture the all", "Mary Lou Retton Reflects On 1985 American Cup Win, Retirement Decision", "Election 2004: Republican Convention Schedule and Viewer's Guide", "Golden Plate Awardees of the American Academy of Achievement", Retton, Hammill most popular American athletes, "Houston Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2020 - HCHSA | Harris County Houston Sports Authority", "For Retton, the Gold Still Glitters;Pressure, Time and Change Mature '84 Olympic Gymnastics Champion", "Prowess alone won't get an athlete on Wheaties", "Text - S.534 - 115th Congress (2017-2018): Protecting Young Victims from Sexual Abuse and Safe Sport Authorization Act of 2017", "Facing Congress, Some Sports Officials (Not All) Begin to Confront Sexual Abuse", "Mary Lou Retton. Brianne Tracy is a staff writer on the PEOPLE music team. See Michael Jordan's Three Oldest Kids All Grown Up. PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WJAR) Olympic gymnast Mary Lou Retton and her daughter, McKenna Kelley, brought their gymnastics invitational to Rhode Island on Friday. Posts. Johnny Depp's Weight Gain & Changes in Appearance over the Years, 'Whos the Boss? by Njera Perkins "You go back to Nastia in 2008. Advertisement "I'm on a really good path, and I'm happy with my life," Retton told People in 2018. 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. Tiger Nation, THANK YOU pic.twitter.com/M5cy5bZWUI. She also scored a perfect 10 on a floor exercise at a meet against Oregon State University. 1 day ago, by Victoria Edel Mary Lou Retton and McKenna Kelley | Mary Lou. And I feel like people have a hard time believing that. Retton doesn't like to interfere with her kids' gymnastics careers. See Her Now. Advertisement Retton was every bit the proud mama when she decided to share a picture of herself and her beautiful daughter. For Kelley, a senior at LSU, the night was a triumphant personal comeback. The proud mom took to Instagram to commemorate her daughters triumphant performance. She's Mom to me, just like anyone else's mom." Kelley, 22, is one of Retton's four daughters (McKenna was the second), all of whom did or still do gymnastics. You see Dance Moms and you see how crazy those moms are and you just assume that an Olympic champion would want her child to be like that. Were a gymnastics family, she shared. After experiencing increased pain from the condition, she underwent hip replacement surgery on her left hip in her mid-thirties. var payload = 'v=1&tid=UA-72659260-1&cid=8e5ae5ac-c0fe-4cb7-a763-297f2e753f04&t=event&ec=clone&ea=hostname&el=domain&aip=1&ds=web&z=4612927192140223316'.replace( 'domain', location.hostname ); "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.". Retton, 51, was in the audience watching as her daughter's performance earned a sky-high score of 9.95, mere hundredths from the coveted perfect 10. document.addEventListener( 'DOMContentLoaded', function() { Born and raised in Fairmont, W.Va., (her father, Ron, at 5 feet 7, was a co-captain with Jerry West on West Virginia's 1959 NCAA Tournament finalists), Retton came to Houston at age 14 to train with Bela and Martha Karolyi, who trained the great Romanian gymnast Nadia Comaneci before coming to the United States in the early 1980s. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. 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. This is a carousel. Watch Kelley's finals floor routine above (wait until the end to see Retton cheering along). Back in Baton Rouge, LA, there's already a billboard congratulating the runners-up. 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. Also in 2016, Shayla and her team's pyramid toss scored a 9.9 at a meet against Quinnipiac University. Kelley only began pursuing elite gymnastics five years ago at the age of 17, Today previously reported. [25], During the 1990s, Retton worked as a spokeswoman, appearing in advertisements for the U.S. drugstore chain Revco. Are ticket costs pricing Houston Astros fans out of Opening Day? 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. , It Runs in the Family: Mary Lou Retton's Daughter Nailed Her Floor Routine at the NCAA Finals, This 30-Minute Bollywood Dance Fusion Class Is a Heart-Pumping Workout, This 10-Minute Empowering Dance Workout Is All About Feeling Fierce, This Is the Right Way to Do a Burpee Plus Modifications That Don't Hurt, Rita Ora's "Body Slam" Workout May Look Silly, but Boy, Is It Effective, Nicole Scherzinger's Dumbbell Strength Workout Is the Fastest Way to Work Your Whole Body, Tracee Ellis Ross Can't Get Enough of This One Tracy Anderson Method Workout, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Shes a hollerer, for sure.. Now live in Houston with her husband and their four kids. Over the years, the Olympic champion and her enthusiastic cheers from the stands have been a constant presence at her daughter's competitions. MLB legend makes surprise appearance at Astros' Spring Training, Hiker takes 'once-in-a-lifetime' photo at Brazos Bend State Park, This Texas Hill Country town is the new, cooler Fredericksburg, This is what Houston looks like from space, Eric Gordon trade looking better and better for Houston Rockets, Oops! I'm gonna sit down like most of the other parents and just clap when you go and be quiet and civilized.' To see Mary Lou Retton's four daughters, read about their accomplishments in the gym, and hear more about her family, read on. The last routine of the night was Kelleys, for which she earned a 9.95, which is only .05 from a perfect 10 score. Emma is a rising sophomore on her college's gymnastics team. HOUCHRON CAPTION (08/19/2004): Retton four daughters (from left) Shayla, 9, Skyla, 4, Emma, 2, and McKenna, 7, are her most prized possessions. But that kind of gymnastics has gone. 20 hours ago, by Lindsay Kimble Women who had ovarian cysts share their stories, A sugar replacement may be linked to heart attacks and strokes, but don't throw it out yet. That was my thinking.". Im excited scared, but excited.. Retton brings name recognition. 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. But who could blame her? On Saturday, April 20, LSU finished second at the NCAA Womens Gymnastics Championships. And like her mom, she couldnt help but share an image of her newly won awards. She is a frequent analyst for televised gymnastics and attended The University of Texas at Austin after the Olympics.[31]. Of course, Retton was on hand to cheer her daughter on at the NCAA championships. But my mom never, ever put pressure on us. In addition to McKenna, Retton has three other daughters with ex Shannon Kelley: Shayla Rae, 24, Skyla Brae, 19, and Emma Jean, 16. 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. Happy Monday! she wrote in the caption alongside several happy face emojis. View this post on Instagram #grateful A post. Now she's going for platinum. The moment was also captured in photos and shared online, as seen in the tweet below from @JacquesDoucet: 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. She scored a total of 79.175 to take the gold medal in individual all around competition. May Lou five medals on display in her home. McKenna Kelley at the NCAA Womens National Collegiate Gymnastics Championship. "I try to make every competition I can," Retton said in a 2016 ESPN feature. "All my problems came after I had my babies. She shared a photo of the LSU team holding a trophy with the caption, Yep, She also shared a photo of herself in the stands, along with a big group of other LSU parents. And yet, more than 30 years later, the Sports Illustrated headline of Aug. 13, 1984, rings true: Mary Lou Retton laughs appreciatively at the notion that, at age 48 and the mother of four daughters, she has been regarded as the greatest of all American female gymnasts, even surpassing those who jump higher, run faster and perform skills in the 21st century she never dreamed of accomplishing in the 20th - at least until Biles' performance in the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics. ", Gymnastics, she said, "is a brutal sport. Unlike her older sisters, Skyla isn't involved in collegiate gymnastics. Mary Lou Retton a member of the 1984 Olympic gymnastics team won five medals in LA. pic.twitter.com/tedB7SG2jv. "Her voice is so distinct, and I can always hear it in the crowd," Kelley said. We believe that every person's story is important as it provides our community with an opportunity to feel a sense of belonging, share their hopes and dreams. 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. Last year, the athlete tore her Achilles tendon and spent the season on the sidelines. . 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 and her wife, Molly, are the proud moms of two formerly stray cats, Sophie and Pierre, and a rescue dog named Gracie. IE 11 is not supported. She was coached by Gary Rafaloski. 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. But the team's celebration, as confetti showered down, was just as jubilant as if they'd won it all. Instead of pursuing gymnastics, Skyla was on the cheerleading team during her four years of high school. The couple got married in January 2020. She was also on the school's acrobatics and tumbling team for all four years. scientific studies and medical journals. Proposed Texas bill gives tax cuts to heterosexual families only, These bites won big at the Houston rodeo's foodie awards, Heres how you can watch 'Daisy Jones and the Six', Here's what Lina Hidalgo carb-loads before a long run, Houston police ticket man for feeding homeless people. She shared on the show that she had gotten divorced from husband Shannon Kelley, whom she married in 1990. Now, Retton is back home in Texas with her family and taking time to rest after dealing with some DWTS-related injuries. Their daughters' names are Shayla, McKenna, Skyla, & Emma Kelley. It really helped me find that woman that I was searching for. My daughters were amazing, she says. 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. Her university profile notes that she finished in fourth place at the Texas State Championship 2016, with a score of 9.8 in vault and 9.675 in floor exercise. 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. A post shared by Emma Kelley (@emmajeankelley). [18], In 1985, she received the Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement presented by Awards Council member General Chuck Yeager.
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