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. Experts give insight into the biggest social media lies. [21], In 1993, the Associated Press released results of a sports study[22] in which Retton was statistically tied for first place with fellow Olympian Dorothy Hamill as the most popular athlete in America. But that kind of gymnastics has gone. Mary Lou Retton's Daughter Nails Floor At NCAAs - Simplemost Also in 2016, Shayla and her team's pyramid toss scored a 9.9 at a meet against Quinnipiac University. Kelley is a senior, which means this might be her final season; she has one year left of eligibility but isn't sure whether she'll use it. 66.9K followers. McKenna and her mom co-host the women's gymnastics tour, "For Mothers and Daughters Forever Our Legacy." The floors today are like little trampolines. It was a doozy, but I'm recovering. (Retton lives in Houston, and the show is filmed in Los Angeles. And for more entertainment and celebrity news sent right to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter. Kerri Strug's Heroic Vault Was 25 Years Ago. Skater Gracie Gold 'Overwhelmed' After Emotional Routine Returning from Depression Struggles, All the Olympians Who've Competed on 'Dancing with the Stars', Simone Biles and 'Today' Surprise Sunisa Lee's Father with New Wheelchair: 'This is Amazing', Mary Lou Retton talks about staying healthy for her kids, UCLA Gymnast Who Scored Perfect 10 Officially Finishes Her College Career with Upbeat Routine, Jade Carey Wins Gold! 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. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. [2] Her performance made her one of the most popular athletes in the United States. She attended her daughter's graduation ceremony wearing a floral print top and an elaborately designed mini skirt. Mary Lou Retton celebrates her gold in the all-around at the 1984 Los Angeles Games. It was a special weekend for the RI Sports Commission, GoProvidence, and Convention Center! HOUCHRON CAPTION (09/13/1998): Mary Lou Retton, from left, Harris County Judge Robert Eckels, Franelle Rogers and Mayor Lee Brown meet in Brown's office to discuss details of the third annual USOC Coach of the Year awards Sept. 19 at the Hyatt Regency Imperial Ballroom. Now live in Houston with her husband and their four kids. 2 hours ago, by Sarah Wasilak Follow. Columbia College is not Columbia University! "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.". Mary Lou Retton's Daughter Performs Near-Perfect Routine At NCAA Women Mary Lou Retton is an American retired gymnast and Olympian. #allthefeels #lsugym @mckennamckelley @LSUgym pic.twitter.com/DbmbuWFazK, Alison Stevens (@AlisonMichele93) April 21, 2019. Mary Lou Retton is a legendary gymnast who is best known for winning a gold medal in the Olympic all-around at the 1984 summer Olympics in Los Angeles. National Collegiate Acrobatics and Tumbling Association. Gymnast Carly Patterson Won Olympic Gold 17 Years Ago. She has done an amazing job.. 1 day ago. If you have any concerns about the accuracy of our content, please reach out to our editors by e-mailing [17], Retton's hometown, Fairmont, West Virginia, named a road and a park in the town after her. Also in 2016, Shayla and her team's pyramid toss scored a 9.9 at a meet against Quinnipiac University. And I feel like people have a hard time believing that. McKenna won her first gymnastics competition when she was 17. RELATED:Gymnast Carly Patterson Won Olympic Gold 17 Years Ago. As for Kelley, she seemed tickled by her mom's pride. 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. That was my thinking.". Emma is a rising sophomore on her college's gymnastics team. Mary Lou Retton | Bio, Age, Career, Husband, Kids, Retirement, Salary 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. If anything, when we were growing up shed be like, You should quit. 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. Meet Details - MeetMaker After 1984 fame, Mary Lou Retton made Houston home - Chron Mary Lou Retton was born on January 24, 1968, in the United States in Fairmont, West Virginia. The perfect tummy control bodysuit, a popcorn gadget, more bestsellers starting at $8. Shes a hollerer, for sure.. View this post on Instagram. '", Despite her daughters' success in their athletic pursuits, Retton has said that the main thing she's focused on is their happiness. Skyla bears a striking resemblance to Retton, and that comes through as the young beauty stood near the renowned sports star. ", Gymnastics, she said, "is a brutal sport. "Wow what a night! Retton, the first American woman to win the individual all-around gold medal in gymnastics, flashed "perfect 10" fingers and blew kisses to Kelley, whose seamless routine helped her team finish second at the competition. 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. However, Skyla did do gymnastics as a child, starting at the age of three. Please select the topics you're interested in: Would you like to turn on POPSUGAR desktop notifications to get breaking news ASAP? 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. From vegan to keto, which diet has the highest carbon footprint. ET) on ABC. McKenna, who's now 24, was co-championof the Nastia Liukin Cup, an annual U.S. competition hosted by the former Olympian, in 2014. McKenna Kelley anchors the 2019 NCAA Gymnastics Championships! Next is Skyla Kelley, who's 21 years old and studying at Texas Tech University. Kelley didn't pursue elite gymnastics until she was 17 the same age Retton was when she retired from the sport, just one year after her history-making victory at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. Speaking to Parade in 2016, the gold medalist noted that she doesn't give them pointers about the sport unless they ask for it. [9], Retton lived in Houston, Texas,[10] until 2009, when her family returned to West Virginia. 21 hours ago, by Samantha Brodsky , Awesome, Youre All Set! 1995), McKenna (b. A post shared by Mary Lou Retton (@marylouretton) In fact, in 2016, Retton told ESPN she'd once vowed to Kelley, whose dad is Retton's husband, Shannon Kelley, that she'd try to tone it down. Ahead of her daughters last outing on the floor, Retton revealed that she told Kelley to make sure to enjoy the moment. That was a big part of my struggle the last few years do I do it? 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. Mary Lou Retton Married a College QB & Raised a Gymnast Daughter Just days after scoring a near-perfect 10 on her floor routine at the NCAA Womens Gymnastics Championship, Kelley, 22, and her mother appeared on the Today show to open up about their relationship. Last Christmas, she shared a photo of her and her sisters in matching pajamas on Instagram. Retton was thrust back into the spotlight when the USA Gymnastics sex abuse scandal hit the news in 2016. "Her voice is so distinct, and I can always hear it in the crowd," Kelley said. 1,325 following. We adhere to structured guidelines for sourcing information and linking to other resources, including Mary Lou Retton's daughter blazes new trail - ESPN.com Our content is fact checked by our senior editorial staff to reflect accuracy and ensure our readers get 08/24/1998 - (L-R) Mary Lou Retton, Harris County Judge Robert Eckels, Franelle Rogers and Mayor Lee Brown meet in Brown's office to discuss details of the third annual USOC Coach of the Year awards Sept. 19 at the Hyatt Regency Imperial Ballroom. She also participated in several cheer competitions, per Yahoo! Mary Lou Retton a member of the 1984 Olympic gymnastics team won five metals in LA. 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 had gone away and I knew she was in there that strong, powerful, confident woman and I found her.. Former gymnast and Olympic gold medalist Mary Lou Retton was at the Rhode Island Convention Center hosting a gymnastics meet. These are the fruits that are safe (and not safe) for your dog to eat, These Clever Food Hacks Get Kids To Eat Healthy, The 5 Ways You Know Youre Too Old For Roommates. 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. Although she didn't compete in any meets during her first year, her career is just beginning. But Kelley seems to be handling these expectations without breaking a sweat, as evidenced by her recent performance in the NCAA championships. HOUCHRON CAPTION (08/19/2004): Retton and her husband live in Houston, far removed from the time when she captured the heart of a nation and graced the cover of the Wheaties box. 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. Kelley is the daughter of gymnastics legend Mary Lou Retton, who at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics became the first American woman to win the all-around gold medal. A native of Tyler, he is a graduate of John Tyler High School, Tyler Junior College and The University of Texas at Austin. Mary Lou Retton cheers gymnast McKenna Kelley at NCAA finals - TODAY.com To me shes just mom, Kelley, a senior at Louisiana State University shared, adding that after making the decision to pursue gymnastics, she never felt pushed to succeed by her mother. RETTON AND SKYLAS RESEMBLANCE DID NOT GO UNNOTICED. Mary Lou Retton a member of the 1984 Olympic gymnastics team won five metals in LA. She went to The University of Texas, where she met her husband, Shannon Kelly, who played quarterback for the Longhorns. Last year, the athlete tore her Achilles tendon and spent the season on the sidelines. [27] She was the first female athlete to be pictured on the front of a Wheaties box, and General Mills stated that Wheaties sales improved after her appearance. There will be no immediate honeymoon for Mary Lou Retton, a gold medal . RELATED: See Michael Jordan's Three Oldest Kids All Grown Up. The team's last floor routine of the night was a high-octane, floor-pounding performance from McKenna Kelley that earned a score of 9.95, mere hundredths from the coveted perfect 10. That's where I am at this stage of life.". Back when I competed, it was the pretty little butterflies, which I was not. It was an especially astonishing return to the top for Kelley, who sat out her junior year because of a torn Achilles tendon. Gosh it brings it all back!!! [26], Retton has many commercial endorsements, including bowling and shampoo. 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. HOUCHRON CAPTION (08/19/2004): Retton four daughters (from left) Shayla, 9, Skyla, 4, Emma, 2, and McKenna, 7, are her most prized possessions.