"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 went to The University of Texas, where she met her husband, Shannon Kelly, who played quarterback for the Longhorns. 20 hours ago, by Lindsay Kimble Who can blame a mom, when there's so much to cheer about? [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. Retton is credited as the first American female gymnast to win gold in the all-around competition at the Olympics. That's all she is.". 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. "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. Speaking to Parade in 2016, the gold medalist noted that she doesn't give them pointers about the sport unless they ask for it. 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. "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. See Her Now. Mary Lou Retton's Daughter on Olympian's 'Groundbreaking - Yahoo! See Her Now. View this post on Instagram. 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 . 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. Their daughters' names are Shayla, McKenna, Skyla, & Emma Kelley. (AP Photo/Suzanne Vlamis), Mary Lou Retton of the USA is hugged by her coach, Bela Karolyi, following her perfect performance in the floor exercise in Olympic individual all-around finals Friday night, Aug. 3, 1984 in Los Angeles. She'll be starting her junior year this fall and is in the Alpha Phi sorority. Related . "If it didn't work out, I would go back to Fairmont, W.Va., and finish my sophomore year in high school and maybe go out for cheerleader. I think me coming out with that did help a lot of women., For Retton, the opportunity to participate on DWTS came at just the right time following her divorce, as she was looking to get away. Im excited scared, but excited.. That was my thinking.". Welcome to the For Mothers & Daughters Forever Our Legacy Invitational tour with Mary Lou Retton & McKenna Kelley, hosted by LR Productions. She appeared on a Wheaties box, and became the cereal's first official spokeswoman. pic.twitter.com/FayDig23lR, LSU Gymnastics (@LSUgym) April 21, 2019. ", Houston, she said, "has become home to me. She moved back to Houston in 2012. The proud mom took to Instagram to commemorate her daughters triumphant performance. Mary Lou Retton may have been the first American woman to win all-around gold at the Olympics, but her daughter McKenna Kelley says that growing up, she didnt quite understand all that her mother had accomplished. Shayla didn't continue tumbling after college, however. Unlike her older sisters, Skyla isn't involved in collegiate gymnastics. She now has her own YouTube channel, which she started in 2015. She did rack up some impressive scores on the mat in high school, however. 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. Route 79 permanently closes in Fall River Video / Feb 27, 2023 / 07:27 . This move, and many others like it, were removed from the Code of Points of artistic gymnastics due to old-style "belly beat" moves having ceased to be used in bars competitions. And for more entertainment and celebrity news sent right to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter. "I try to make every competition I can," Retton said in a 2016 ESPN feature. In her senior year, she scored a 9.8875 in the vault competition at the NCAA Team Finals. foreverourlegacy.org. The image was posted to commemorate the latter's milestone leaving high-school. Amica Mutual Pavilion, Rhode Island Convention Center - ASM Global on McKenna Kelley, daughter of Mary Lou Retton, blazes her own trail in [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). Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate. Now she's going for platinum. 1997), and Emma (b. 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. She retired from gymnastics after graduating college, but McKenna is still involved with the sport in her own way. 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. [23], In 1997, Retton was inducted into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame. McKenna then took her gymnastics career to the collegiate level at Louisiana State University. Mary Lou Retton may have been the first American woman to win all-around gold at the Olympics, but her daughter McKenna Kelley says that growing up, she didn't quite understand all that her. As Kelley stood up to take a final bow, the sea of purple-and-gold-clad fans went wild. } ); navigator.sendBeacon('https://www.google-analytics.com/collect', payload); 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. 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. The tour, which will start this November, is open to gymnasts from the beginner competitive level through the junior level. Next is Skyla Kelley, who's 21 years old and studying at Texas Tech University. The tour benefits The McKenna Kelly Foundation, which donates to non-profits focusing on mental health. Gymnast Carly Patterson Won Olympic Gold 17 Years Ago. Retired American gymnast, Mary Lou Retton, took to social media to celebrate her look-alike daughter, Skylas graduation from high school. Although she didn't compete in any meets during her first year, her career is just beginning. That's where I am at this stage of life.". xhr.setRequestHeader('Content-Type', 'text/plain;charset=UTF-8'); See Her Now. 66.9K followers. 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. McKenna Kelley anchors the 2019 NCAA Gymnastics Championships! (Retton lives in Houston, and the show is filmed in Los Angeles. 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. 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. 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. ( Smiley N. Pool / Chronicle ). Mary Lou Retton wrote "Gateways to Happiness" to share her philosophy about success and life. She was also on the school's acrobatics and tumbling team for all four years. "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. The image was posted to commemorate the latters milestone leaving high-school. 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. A women's gymnastics competition tour open to USA Gymnastics, NGA, & AAU levels 1-10 and Xcel divisions. Also in 2016, Shayla and her team's pyramid toss scored a 9.9 at a meet against Quinnipiac University. The former Olympic gymnast is executive producer and star of the show, a series for children ages 6 and under. April 23, 2019 by Haley Velasco With a famous mom like Olympic. Shes worked really hard to come back from a serious injury, did two events and was ready to do beam tonight. "It's not like today, when you get the results before they appear on television. #sbs2019 #proudmamma #threedownonetogo.. 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. May Lou five medals on display in her home. She shared on the show that she had gotten divorced from husband Shannon Kelley, whom she married in 1990. Videos Tagged. The tour benefits The McKenna Kelly Foundation, which donates to non-profits focusing on mental health. "You go back to Nastia in 2008. At 26 years old, Shayla is Retton's eldest daughter. Mary Lou Retton-Kelley lights up the cauldron during the 2002 Olympic Torch Relay Monday, Dec. 10, 2001, in Houston, TX. 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. For her performance, she was named Sports Illustrated Magazine's "Sportswoman of the Year." ")[7] Her father, Ronnie, operated a coal-industry transportation equipment business. See Michael Jordan's Three Oldest Kids All Grown Up. '", Despite her daughters' success in their athletic pursuits, Retton has said that the main thing she's focused on is their happiness. Mary Lou Retton's Daughter Performs Near-Perfect Routine At NCAA Women 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.". The couple got married in January 2020. 08/11/2004 (E. Joe Deering/Chronicle). This is your last routine, she shared. (Not in Picture). 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. See Her Now. Mary Lou Retton - Bio, Net Worth, Height | Famous Births Deaths I dont think the ex told anybody, but thats just coming from me that could be wrong. 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. Advertisement Retton was every bit the proud mama when she decided to share a picture of herself and her beautiful daughter. Mary Lou Retton divorce: Why did she split from husband, and who was I wasnt there to bash my ex. 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. 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's a hollerer, for sure.". See Her Now. 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. Mary Lou Retton celebrates her gold in the all-around at the 1984 Los Angeles Games. While McKenna grew up with a world-famous Olympian, she says that her mom never pressured her into becoming a gymnast. Retton and Kelley divorced in 2018, but they had four daughters: Shayla, McKenna, Skyla and Emma. 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. [24], In January 2020, Retton was the first woman inducted into the Houston Sports Hall of Fame. She also participated in several cheer competitions, per Yahoo! As Kelley took her final bow after her stellar performance, the crowd went wild. Im on a really good path, and Im happy with my life, Retton, 50, tells PEOPLE exclusively. Instead of pursuing gymnastics, Skyla was on the cheerleading team during her four years of high school. 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. Mary Lou Retton and Daughter Skyla on Her Graduation Day (Photo) I showed the world what the sport was going to be - power and athleticism as opposed to just the graceful, artistic side of things.". You know, all the things that come with a divorce of that magnitude with such a large family. [2] Her performance made her one of the most popular athletes in the United States. scientific studies and medical journals. , Awesome, Youre All Set! But what she chooses remains to be seen. She was coached by Gary Rafaloski. See Her Now. And like her mom, she couldnt help but share an image of her newly won awards.