She went to The University of Texas, where she met her husband, Shannon Kelly, who played quarterback for the Longhorns. [16] She retired in 1986. Their daughters' names are Shayla, McKenna, Skyla, & Emma Kelley. ** 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. She joined the crowd in repeatedly chanting 10 while flashing both hands toward the sky, and later covered her mouth as she teared up at her daughters success. Happy Monday! Are insane ticket costs pricing Astros fans out of Opening Day? Subscribe to @olympics: http://oly.ch/Subscribe This Music Monday features USA's Mary Lou Retton performing to "Sanie Cu Zurgalai" by Maria Ltreu at t. She earned her Bachelors in Broadcast Journalism at the University of Southern California and has been seen on Good Morning America. See Her Now. Those #goals aren't what they seem. Advertisement Retton was every bit the proud mama when she decided to share a picture of herself and her beautiful daughter. "No one had ever seen a gymnast like me. I'm gonna sit down like most of the other parents and just clap when you go and be quiet and civilized.' As Kelley stood up to take a final bow, the sea of purple-and-gold-clad fans went wild. Retton is executive producer and star of the show, a series for under-6 set. 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. 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. Its a 9.95 to end her illustrious career, the caption read. Retton was inspired by watching Nadia Comneci outshine defending Olympic two-event winner Olga Korbut on television at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, when she herself was eight years of age, and she took up gymnastics in her hometown of Fairmont, West Virginia. 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). "McKenna was very . ET) on ABC. [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). McKenna Kelley, left, and her mom, Mary Lou Retton, at the 1984 Summer Olympics. She'll be starting her junior year this fall and is in the Alpha Phi sorority. She was coached by Gary Rafaloski. In addition to McKenna, Retton has three other daughters with ex Shannon Kelley: Shayla Rae, 24, Skyla Brae, 19, and Emma Jean, 16. When the Protecting Young Victims from Sexual Abuse and Safe Sport Authorization Act of 2017[32] was introduced to the 115th Congress, she and other members of USA Gymnastics met with the bill sponsor, Senator Dianne Feinstein, with the aim of convincing her to drop the bill. (Not in Picture). She also competed in multiple club gymnastics competitions when she was in high school. National Collegiate Acrobatics and Tumbling Association. 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. Shayla was on her college's acrobatics and tumbling team. 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. Retton was born with hip dysplasia, a condition that her years as a competitive gymnast aggravated. RELATED:See Michael Jordan's Three Oldest Kids All Grown Up. The last hashtag hints at the fact that Retton now only has one more high school graduation to attend, given that Skyla is her third daughter. Retton burst onto the international gymnastics scene at a time the balletic grace of the dominant Soviet Union team was the standard, packing the power and leg drive of a mini-Earl Campbell in a 4-foot-9, 95-pound package. 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. [17], Retton's hometown, Fairmont, West Virginia, named a road and a park in the town after her. See Her Now. Follow. And while she may not share the same athletic interests as her family, they're still close. , Awesome, Youre All Set! [6] (The original family name was "Rotunda. 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View this post on Instagram #grateful A post. 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! To see Mary Lou Retton's four daughters, read about their accomplishments in the gym, and hear more about her family, read on. Opening up about her decision to step away, Kelley shared that she feels so at peace.. Retton won the gold medal in the event. Mary Lou Retton, the Olympic all-around champion in 1984, is raising four daughters, and three of them are gymnasts. "I try to make every competition I can," Retton said in a 2016 ESPN feature. She also posts frequently about her mom and dad. Our LSU parents den!!! Mary Lou Retton a member of the 1984 Olympic gymnastics team won five metals in LA. But the team's celebration, as confetti showered down, was just as jubilant as if they'd won it all. She attended her daughter's graduation ceremony wearing a floral print top and an elaborately designed mini skirt. 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. Im pretty beat up, she says. "Her voice is so distinct, and I can always hear it in the crowd," Kelley said. 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. She appeared on a Wheaties box, and became the cereal's first official spokeswoman. At 26 years old, Shayla is Retton's eldest daughter. She was also on the school's acrobatics and tumbling team for all four years. Last Christmas, she shared a photo of her and her sisters in matching pajamas on Instagram. [2] Her performance made her one of the most popular athletes in the United States. If you have any concerns about the accuracy of our content, please reach out to our editors by e-mailing To see Mary Lou Retton's four daughters, read about their accomplishments in the gym, and hear more about her family, read on. See Her Now. All four of my children were born here, and my husband is from here. 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. 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. She also scored a perfect 10 on a floor exercise at a meet against Oregon State University. She posts videos about her daily life, which often feature her siblings and husband, Wyatt Schrepfer, who also studied at Baylor University. Did having her mom there make Kelley nervous? She went to The University of Texas, where she met her husband, Shannon Kelly, who played quarterback for the Longhorns. 1 day ago, by Victoria Edel I showed the world what the sport was going to be - power and athleticism as opposed to just the graceful, artistic side of things.". if( navigator.sendBeacon ) { Retton doesn't like to interfere with her kids' gymnastics careers. Now she's going for platinum. "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. Im not one to air my dirty laundry, but for the entire show I kept talking about struggles and challenges and how I lost myself and all of that, she says. After experiencing increased pain from the condition, she underwent hip replacement surgery on her left hip in her mid-thirties. 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. 403 N 3rd St, Richmond , VA 23219. Happy Monday! she wrote in the caption alongside several happy face emojis. xhr.send(payload); Still, Retton is supportive of her daughters aspirations, as you may have been able to tell by her beaming face in the video. 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. 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. She also shared additional images of her performance on Twitter, writing, Tiger Nation, thank you!, https://twitter.com/mckennamckelley/status/1119975478130020354. Retton looked so young herself that she could easily pass for Skylas sister. 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. Simone Biles has won more world championships, Nastia Liukin has as many Olympic medals and Shannon Miller has more world and Olympic medals combined. Shayla didn't continue tumbling after college, however. "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. One gold, two silver and two bronze. However, Skyla did do gymnastics as a child, starting at the age of three. You may have spotted, in the crowd there, Kelleys mom, cheering along with everyone else. That would be really amazing if I found myself a dancer. Over the years, the Olympic champion and her enthusiastic cheers from the stands have been a constant presence at her daughter's competitions. But Kelley seems to be handling these expectations without breaking a sweat, as evidenced by her recent performance in the NCAA championships. When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. Who can blame a mom, when there's so much to cheer about? Unlike her older sisters, Skyla isn't involved in collegiate gymnastics. Registered gymnasts will receive a custom GK leotard. Im excited scared, but excited.. 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. Gosh it brings it all back!!! . 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. 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. she shared, laughing. Retton was thrust back into the spotlight when the USA Gymnastics sex abuse scandal hit the news in 2016. She has done an amazing job.. At the same Olympics, Retton won four additional medals: silver in the team competition and the horse vault, and bronze in the floor exercise and uneven bars. 1,325 following. 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. When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. "I tell her every season, 'McKenna, I'm really gonna do it this season. A post shared by Emma Kelley (@emmajeankelley). Wonderful final performance for her career at @LSUgym pic.twitter.com/DR9R83G9P8, Holly Rowe (@sportsiren) April 21, 2019. And for more entertainment and celebrity news sent right to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter. Kelley scored a stellar 9.95. pic.twitter.com/YrERX9CtZ3. Our content is fact checked by our senior editorial staff to reflect accuracy and ensure our readers get [24], In January 2020, Retton was the first woman inducted into the Houston Sports Hall of Fame. Retton recovered and, trailing Szabo entering her final event in the all-around at Los Angeles, received a perfect score of 10.0 on the "vault without fault" to win the gold medal by 0.05 points. "She's never made us feel like we had . Although she didn't compete in any meets during her first year, her career is just beginning. Im scared!, I guess I got to find myself a dancer, dont I? she adds. Her path was different than mine and Im so proud of everything.. : 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. "Back in my day, I was kind of on the cutting edge," Retton said in an interview before Rio. "All my problems came after I had my babies. You can see her performance in the video below, posted to Twitter by sports journalist Holly Rowe, who noted how lucky she felt watching the daughter of the gymnast she once idolized: I idolized @marylouretton now watching her lovely daughter @mckennamckelley is such a cool experience. In addition to McKenna, Retton has three other daughters with ex Shannon Kelley: Shayla Rae, 24, Skyla Brae, 19, and Emma Jean, 16. The floors today are like little trampolines. 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. [28][29][30] In 2019, Retton became a spokesperson for Australian Dream, a pain relief cream. RELATED:Kerri Strug's Heroic Vault Was 25 Years Ago. But who could blame her? "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. It was picture perfect, her daughter agreed. After the show aired, Retton says a lot of people reached out and were surprised to hear that she and Kelley had separated.