https://twitter.com/mckennamckelley/status/1120331854186536962. 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. 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. 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. You dont want to get hurt or anything!'. Having retired from gymnastics after winning an unprecedented third American Cup title in 1985, as noted above, she later had cameo appearances as herself in Scrooged and Naked Gun '"`UNIQ--templatestyles-00000016-QINU`"'33+13: The Final Insult. Our content is fact checked by our senior editorial staff to reflect accuracy and ensure our readers get Mary Lou Retton is opening up about her divorce from ex-husband Shannon Kelley. '", Despite her daughters' success in their athletic pursuits, Retton has said that the main thing she's focused on is their happiness. Legendary Olympians Who've Been Honored on Wheaties Boxes. Simone Biles has won more world championships, Nastia Liukin has as many Olympic medals and Shannon Miller has more world and Olympic medals combined. I wasnt there to bash my ex. Nadia Comneci Scored a Perfect 10 at the Olympics 45 Years Ago. 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. "I try to make every competition I can," Retton said in a 2016 ESPN feature. They were angry in the beginning, and any child should be with their family being torn apart but weve vowed that we would do holidays together and were going to try to make it as seamless and as painless as possible., I dont think they were surprised, she adds. 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. As Kelley took her final bow after her stellar performance, the crowd went wild. [2] Her performance made her one of the most popular athletes in the United States. But the team's celebration, as confetti showered down, was just as jubilant as if they'd won it all. See Her Now. Associate Editor, Human Interest - PEOPLE. But 30 years ago, the equipment we worked on wasn't so forgiving. 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. [18], In 1985, she received the Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement presented by Awards Council member General Chuck Yeager. 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. Mary Lou Retton is an American retired gymnast and Olympian. [28][29][30] In 2019, Retton became a spokesperson for Australian Dream, a pain relief cream. Posts. , 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. [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). Its woven into every fabric of my being. So far, Rettons May 25 post has amassed well over 8,000 likes and numerous comments. She went to The University of Texas, where she met her husband, Shannon Kelly, who played quarterback for the Longhorns. View this post on Instagram #grateful A post. Back in Baton Rouge, LA, there's already a billboard congratulating the runners-up. 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. Generations of gymnasts later, her body type and style are the sport's gold standard, embodied by the 4-feet-8 Biles, already the three-time defending world all-around champion heading into the Rio Olympics. She lives in Asheville, North Carolina, where she spends her free time hiking, reading and snugglingwith her "Friends" box set. 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. For some fans in attendance, watching Kelley's mom cheer on her performance brought back heartwarming memories of those Olympic games. Mary Lou Retton Mary Lou Retton's official Instagram. "McKenna was very . The image was posted to commemorate the latter's milestone leaving high-school. Related . Registered gymnasts will receive a custom GK leotard. Kerri Strug's Heroic Vault Was 25 Years Ago. She also scored a perfect 10 on a floor exercise at a meet against Oregon State University. If anything, when we were growing up shed be like, You should quit. Who can blame a mom, when there's so much to cheer about? 08/11/2004 (E. Joe Deering/Chronicle). [26], Retton has many commercial endorsements, including bowling and shampoo. Instead, she stayed in Houston, graduating from high school and attending the University of Texas, where she met her husband, Shannon Kelley, a former Memorial High School quarterback who also played for the Longhorns and is an assistant coach at Houston Baptist University. But who could blame her? And I just can't help myself!". 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. A women's gymnastics competition tour open to USA Gymnastics, NGA, & AAU levels 1-10 and Xcel divisions. After the show aired, Retton says a lot of people reached out and were surprised to hear that she and Kelley had separated. Get daily fitness inspiration right in your inbox. "People still come up to me and say they remember where they were during the summer of 1984," she said. [25], During the 1990s, Retton worked as a spokeswoman, appearing in advertisements for the U.S. drugstore chain Revco. ", Houston, she said, "has become home to me. 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. Now live in Houston with her husband and their four kids. 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. 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. document.addEventListener( 'DOMContentLoaded', function() { 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. In addition to McKenna, Retton has three other daughters with ex Shannon Kelley: Shayla Rae, 24, Skyla Brae, 19, and Emma Jean, 16. She did rack up some impressive scores on the mat in high school, however. 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). Unlike her older sisters, Skyla isn't involved in collegiate gymnastics. She also scored a perfect 10 on a floor exercise at a meet against Oregon State University. All four of my children were born here, and my husband is from here. Emma's graduation is one that Rettons fans will look forward to, but for now, they have Skylas to ooh and aah over. The retired Olympic gold-medal-winning gymnast revealed her split from her husband of 27 years publicly for the first time on Monday nights episode of Dancing with the Stars before being eliminated. pic.twitter.com/qhggSex98D. She joined the crowd in repeatedly chanting "10" while flashing both. See Michael Jordan's Three Oldest Kids All Grown Up. That's all she is.". McKenna Kelley at the NCAA Womens National Collegiate Gymnastics Championship. See Her Now. Mary Lou Retton (born January 24, 1968) is an American retired gymnast. ", Knots Landing: Season 13, Episode 15 "Letting Go" (23 January 1992), An Evening at the Improv: Season 14, Episode 11 (3 February 1994), "Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult (1994) - Full Cast & Crew", Olympic Champion Mary Lou Retton Stars In New PBS Television Series, "Celebrating Every '80s Reference in That RadioShack Super Bowl Commercial", Where Are They Now? 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, the Olympic all-around champion in 1984, is raising four daughters, and three of them are gymnasts. 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. 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. Mary Lou Retton was the first American female to have an Olympic all-around gold. Senior night topped off with a PERFECT 10 on the floor #priceless #beyondproud #mckennasmom," she gushed in the caption. Retton doesn't like to interfere with her kids' gymnastics careers. -- When your mom is Olympic gymnastics superstar Mary Lou Retton and you take up her sport, there are bound to be certain expectations. Im really excited for what this new chapter is going to bring instead of being that scared person that I was a couple of months ago. See Her Now. She was also on the school's acrobatics and tumbling team for all four years. One gold, two silver and two bronze. Gosh it brings it all back!!! Emma is a rising sophomore on her college's gymnastics team. McKenna Kelley, left, and her mom, Mary Lou Retton, at the 1984 Summer Olympics. Now, she says, shes ready for a new chapter. Show More Posts from marylouretton. 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.. She posts videos about her daily life, which often feature her siblings and husband, Wyatt Schrepfer, who also studied at Baylor University. by Njera Perkins Bestlifeonline.com is part of the Meredith Health Group. She now has her own YouTube channel, which she started in 2015. This wasn't her only win at the games; she also won silver in the team and vault competitions, along with bronze medals in uneven bar and floor exercise. "I tell her every season, 'McKenna, I'm really gonna do it this season. "My role is to love them no matter what, have that shoulder for them to cry on if they're hurt or frustrated," she explained to Parade. 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. She appeared on a Wheaties box, and became the cereal's first official spokeswoman. Great, Click the Allow Button Above That would be really amazing if I found myself a dancer. Now live in Houston with her husband and their four kids. Although she didn't compete in any meets during her first year, her career is just beginning. I dont think the ex told anybody, but thats just coming from me that could be wrong. Unlike her older sisters, Skyla isn't involved in collegiate gymnastics. 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. RELATED: Nadia Comneci Scored a Perfect 10 at the Olympics 45 Years Ago. I showed the world what the sport was going to be - power and athleticism as opposed to just the graceful, artistic side of things.". 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. ( Smiley N. Pool / Chronicle ). They have been married for 25 years and have four daughters - Shayla, a member of Baylor University's national champion acrobatics and tumbling team; McKenna, a gymnast at LSU; Skyla, who attends Second Baptist School; and Emma, a potential elite gymnast who trains at Stars Gymnastics in west Houston. Shayla didn't continue tumbling after college, however. See Her Now. It really helped me find that woman that I was searching for. Instead of pursuing gymnastics, Skyla was on the cheerleading team during her four years of high school. She does have the option of returning as a fifth-year senior, however. [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. All four of their children have been involved with gymnastics, like their mom, who, at 53, is working in sports once again, managing a new competitive tour. And like her mom, she couldnt help but share an image of her newly won awards. 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. She graduated from Baylor University in 2017 with a major in Health Science. 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. At 26 years old, Shayla is Retton's eldest daughter. About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features Press Copyright Contact us Creators . she shared, laughing. "Honestly, I don't really give advice or get involved unless asked," she explained. To see Mary Lou Retton's four daughters, read about their accomplishments in the gym, and hear more about her family, read on. As for Kelley, she seemed tickled by her mom's pride. She earned her Bachelors in Broadcast Journalism at the University of Southern California and has been seen on Good Morning America. See Her Now. 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. 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. Retired American gymnast, Mary Lou Retton, took to social media to celebrate her look-alike daughter, Skyla's graduation from high school. NO MORE HIGH SCHOOL FOR THIS YOUNG LADY. (She shared the title with Mackenzie Brannan.) and I LOVE it!!. After 1984 fame, Mary Lou Retton made Houston home, Mary Lou Retton reacts to applause after her performance at her Olympics gymnastic event on Aug. 3, 1984 in Los Angeles. Although Kelley is a senior at LSU, she missed the entirety of her junior season due to injury. Fast-forward today, and that's all you see because that is how the sport has evolved to benefit powerful, athletic gymnasts. Reels. [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. "McKenna was very . Mary Lou Retton and McKenna Kelley | Mary Lou. 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. scientific studies and medical journals. Skyla bears a striking resemblance to Retton, and that comes through as the young beauty stood near the renowned sports star. The former Olympic gymnast is executive producer and star of the show, a series for children ages 6 and under. I just wanted to be authentic. Theres that fine line between a daughter and a friend, so theres a lot that I couldnt share with them. Advertisement "I'm on a really good path, and I'm happy with my life," Retton told People in 2018. Please fill in your e-mail so we can share with you our top stories! pic.twitter.com/FayDig23lR, LSU Gymnastics (@LSUgym) April 21, 2019. (AP Photo/Sadayuki Mikami). [] Mary Lou Retton celebrates her gold in the all-around at the 1984 Los Angeles Games. Her path was different than mine and Im so proud of everything.. On LSU's senior night in March, Kelley earned her first career perfect 10, with Retton watching from the crowd. It was picture perfect, her daughter agreed. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. She was in tears as she watched her daughter and her team receive their trophy. "She's never made us feel like we had . var xhr = new XMLHttpRequest(); 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. 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. 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. Are ticket costs pricing Houston Astros fans out of Opening Day? See Her Now. While McKenna grew up with a world-famous Olympian, she says that her mom never pressured her into becoming a gymnast. She was one of the most beautiful gymnasts I've ever seen. Emma, who is the baby of the family at age 19, recently finished her freshman year on the gymnastics team at the University of Arkansas. Now live in Houston with her husband and their four kids. Even with four kids who've done gymnastics, Retton has never been tempted to coach them herself. (Christobal Perez/Chronicle) 12/10/01. Im on a really good path, and Im happy with my life, Retton, 50, tells PEOPLE exclusively. 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 . Mary Lou Retton was born on January 24, 1968, in the United States in Fairmont, West Virginia. "Very seldom, they'll come home and be having a problem on a skill or something and say, 'Mom, I'm having trouble, will you comment or what do you think. And for more entertainment and celebrity news sent right to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter. Tiger Nation, THANK YOU pic.twitter.com/M5cy5bZWUI. [emailprotected]. "All my problems came after I had my babies. 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. 2002). McKenna won her first gymnastics competition when she was 17. } else { 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 described, adding, We are the loudest and most obnoxious parents [sic] section in the USA!! RELATED:Kerri Strug's Heroic Vault Was 25 Years Ago. 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 will pick and choose some appearances, but I need to take care of these kids and support them and love them. Speaking to Parade in 2016, the gold medalist noted that she doesn't give them pointers about the sport unless they ask for it. LSU finished second at the NCAA Women's Gymnastics Championships on Saturday, its fourth second-place finish since 2014, behind champions Oklahoma and ahead of third-place finishers UCLA. "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.". 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. 08/11/2004 (E. Joe Deering/Chronicle). "With this back surgery, you get to the point when the pain overrides the fear of getting it done. PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WJAR) Olympic gymnast Mary Lou Retton and her daughter, McKenna Kelley, brought their gymnastics invitational to Rhode Island on Friday.