Later, the proud mom took to Instagram to share a photo with her 22-year-old daughter. [2] Her performance made her one of the most popular athletes in the United States. Retton was born with hip dysplasia, a condition that her years as a competitive gymnast aggravated. 08/11/2004 (E. Joe Deering/Chronicle). "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.". About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features Press Copyright Contact us Creators . I'm gonna sit down like most of the other parents and just clap when you go and be quiet and civilized.' Now live in Houston with her husband and their four kids. Videos Tagged. [25], During the 1990s, Retton worked as a spokeswoman, appearing in advertisements for the U.S. drugstore chain Revco. And the whole place, it was just such a moment.. But McKenna Kelley, who exhibits the . Her three other children, all girls, include Shayla (b. Speaking to Parade in 2016, the gold medalist noted that she doesn't give them pointers about the sport unless they ask for it. Subscribe to @olympics: http://oly.ch/Subscribe America celebrates following this stunning performance in the Women's Individual All-Round Gymnastics com. 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. 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. 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. National Collegiate Acrobatics and Tumbling Association. In the clip, she can be seen holding her hands to her heart and blowing a kiss to the audience: Pretty sure we are all McKenna today. 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. Kelley only began pursuing elite gymnastics five years ago at the age of 17, Today previously reported. Retton said she and Kelley simply grew apart. Kelley scored a stellar 9.95. pic.twitter.com/YrERX9CtZ3, Jacques Doucet (@JacquesDoucet) April 21, 2019, Her voice is so distinct, and I can always hear it in the crowd, Kelley told ESPN in 2016. "I think people expect this elaborate answer of she made me run at 6 a.m in the morning, but she's just mom to me. She earned her Bachelors in Broadcast Journalism at the University of Southern California and has been seen on Good Morning America. At 26 years old, Shayla is Retton's eldest daughter. . 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. [23], In 1997, Retton was inducted into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame. 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. She was married to former University of Texas quarterback and Houston real estate developer Shannon Kelley, who now works for the Houston Baptist University athletic department. Mary Lou Retton and McKenna Kelley | Mary Lou. 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. "Her voice is so distinct, and I can always hear it in the crowd," she told ESPN. The tour, which will start this November, is open to gymnasts from the beginner competitive level through the junior level. [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. Mary Lou Retton a member of the 1984 Olympic gymnastics team won five metals in LA. "I will pick and choose some appearances, but I need to take care of these kids and support them and love them. [] You can find out more and change our default settings with Cookies Settings. Daughter of Mary Lou Retton and Shannon Kelly Her mother Mary Lou Retton won the gold medal in the all-around at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles Her father Shannon Kelley. Retton was every bit the proud mama when she decided to share a picture of herself and her beautiful daughter. ( Smiley N. Pool / Chronicle ). 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. Retton brings name recognition. [15] Retton won the all-around gold medal by 0.05 points, beating Szabo to become first female gymnast from outside Eastern Europe to win the individual all-around gold. : Mary Lou Retton Photos & Info, List of competitive results at Gymn Forum, Olympic Champions in Artistic Gymnastics Women's All-Around, Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year, United States women's national soccer team, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mary_Lou_Retton&oldid=1142782427, Olympic gold medalists for the United States in gymnastics, Olympic silver medalists for the United States in gymnastics, Olympic bronze medalists for the United States in gymnastics, Originators of elements in artistic gymnastics, Sportspeople from Fairmont, West Virginia, Pages containing links to subscription-only content, Short description is different from Wikidata, FIG template using Wikidata property P7440, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 4 March 2023, at 10:13. -- When your mom is Olympic gymnastics superstar Mary Lou Retton and you take up her sport, there are bound to be certain expectations. She joined the crowd in repeatedly chanting "10" while flashing both. 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. At 26 years old, Shayla is Retton's eldest daughter. "I don't think I understood the enormity of what she did and the groundbreaking gymnastics she did at the time," she told Today of Retton in 2019. Who can blame a mom, when there's so much to cheer about? All Rights Reserved. Related . When McKenna Kelley nailed her floor routine at the NCAA Women's Gymnastics Championships, no one was prouder than her mom, Olympic gold medalist Mary Lou Retton. As to whether she has gotten a chance to step back into the dating pool, Retton says, Not yet!, Im scared a little bit, she says. xhr.send(payload); These signs can't quit complaining to anyone who will listen. The tour benefits The McKenna Kelly Foundation, which donates to non-profits focusing on mental health. . Details: Welcome to the For Mothers & Daughters Forever Our Legacy Invitational tour with Mary Lou Retton & McKenna Kelley, hosted by LR Productions. Now, she says, shes ready for a new chapter. Ill probably have some more operations in the future, but its alright.. See Her Now. pic.twitter.com/tedB7SG2jv. The teenage beauty was pictured wearing the traditional graduation attire a navy blue graduation gown with oversized sleeves and cap. pic.twitter.com/qhggSex98D. In addition to McKenna, Retton has three other daughters with ex Shannon Kelley: Shayla Rae, 24, Skyla Brae, 19, and Emma Jean, 16. 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 lives in Asheville, North Carolina, where she spends her free time hiking, reading and snugglingwith her "Friends" box set. xhr.open('POST', 'https://www.google-analytics.com/collect', true); See Her Now. '", Despite her daughters' success in their athletic pursuits, Retton has said that the main thing she's focused on is their happiness. No more high school for this young lady! She was one of the most beautiful gymnasts I've ever seen. Mary Lou Retton (born January 24, 1968) is an American retired gymnast. The comments section contained a lot of congratulatory messages for Skyla as well as multiple compliments for the mother-daughter duo for looking so alike. Great, Click the Allow Button Above Retired American gymnast, Mary Lou Retton, took to social media to celebrate her look-alike daughter, Skylas graduation from high school. Im scared!, I guess I got to find myself a dancer, dont I? she adds. "All I can say is that to be the first is very special," said Retton, who in 1984 became the first U.S. woman to win an Olympic all-around gold medal in women's gymnastics, a feat since accomplished by Carly Patterson (2004), Liukin (2008), Gabrielle Douglas (2012) and Biles, of Spring, in Rio. Mary Lou Retton was the first American female to have an Olympic all-around gold. The tiny powerhouse, who was dubbed "America's sweetheart" at the time, left Los Angeles with two additional silver medals and two bronzes the most won by any athlete during that summer's games, which was boycotted by the Soviet Union and the East bloc. See Her Now. McKenna then took her gymnastics career to the collegiate level at Louisiana State University. I popped a rib last week, so thats pretty painful. "She's a hollerer, for sure.". Mary Lou Retton's daughter nailed her routine at the NCAA Women's Gymnastics Championships She almost got a perfect score! Gymnast Carly Patterson Won Olympic Gold 17 Years Ago. Retton, who wed Kelley in 1990, says that there wasnt one defining moment that led to their divorce, which was finalized in February. ), I got away and just started over, she says. All four of my children were born here, and my husband is from here. Wonderful final performance for her career at @LSUgym pic.twitter.com/DR9R83G9P8. Retton and Kelley divorced in 2018, but they had four daughters: Shayla, McKenna, Skyla and Emma. 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. Are insane ticket costs pricing Astros fans out of Opening Day? ( 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. She attended Fairmont Senior High School, but did not graduate. } Houston pitmaster goes viral after hilarious TV interview, Astros GM Dana Brown has more praise team's top prospect, Principal fired for reading 'I Need a New Butt!' 1997), and Emma (b. Gosh it brings it all back!!! She has done an amazing job.. She posts videos about her daily life, which often feature her siblings and husband, Wyatt Schrepfer, who also studied at Baylor University. But my mom never, ever put pressure on us. 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 . Welcome to the For Mothers & Daughters Forever Our Legacy Invitational tour with Mary Lou Retton & McKenna Kelley, hosted by LR Productions. How Many Kids Do Ben and Erin Napier Have? I wasnt there to bash my ex. [4][5], Mary Lou Retton was born on January 24, 1968, in Fairmont, West Virginia. McKenna and her mom co-host the women's gymnastics tour, "For Mothers and Daughters Forever Our Legacy." [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. HOUCHRON CAPTION (12/11/2001): Mary Lou Retton-Kelley puts the final touch on the torch's trek through Houston, lighting up the cauldron at the George R. Brown Convention Center. I have a bad knee, and Im pretty sure I re-tore my rotator cuff, which Ive had three operations on, so thats not fun. She graduated from Baylor University in 2017 with a major in Health Science. Please select the topics you're interested in: Would you like to turn on POPSUGAR desktop notifications to get breaking news ASAP? "She's a hollerer, for sure." See Mary Lou Retton's 4 Daughters, Who All Followed in Her Footsteps. 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. Is climate change causing more flight turbulence? Our content is fact checked by our senior editorial staff to reflect accuracy and ensure our readers get 1,325 following. book to class, Turner: TEA is giving Houston ISD two optionsclose school or be taken over, Two ocelots were photographed crossing a road in rare South Texas sighting, Willie Nelson's new album is a lovely tribute to a fellow country legend. "All my problems came after I had my babies. Growing up, I never had that pressure, Kelley told espnW as a freshman competitor. Im pretty beat up, she says. She posts videos about her daily life, which often feature her siblings and husband, Wyatt Schrepfer, who also studied at Baylor University. [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). She moved back to Houston in 2012. 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. Mary Lou Retton a member of the 1984 Olympic gymnastics team won five medals in LA. May Lou Wheaties box on display in her home. Over the years, the Olympic champion and her enthusiastic cheers from the stands have been a constant presence at her daughter's competitions. RELATED:Gymnast Carly Patterson Won Olympic Gold 17 Years Ago. 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.