McKayla Maroney facts for kids
Quick facts for kids McKayla Maroney |
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Maroney in 2012
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| Full name | McKayla Rose Maroney | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | December 9, 1995 Aliso Viejo, California, U.S. |
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| Discipline | Women's artistic gymnastics | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years on national team | 2010–2014 (United States) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Gym | All Olympia Gymnastics Center (AOGC) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Head coach(es) | Artur Akopyan | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Assistant coach(es) | Galina Marinova | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Former coach(es) | Jenny Zhang, Howie Liang | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Retired | February 24, 2016 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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McKayla Rose Maroney (born December 9, 1995) is a retired American artistic gymnast known for her powerful vaults. She was a key member of the U.S. women's gymnastics team, called the "Fierce Five". This team won a gold medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.
At the same Olympics, Maroney won a silver medal in the individual vault event. She also won gold medals at the 2011 and 2013 World Championships for her vaulting skills.
After winning her Olympic silver medal, a photo of her looking "not impressed" on the podium became a famous Internet meme. Maroney retired from gymnastics in 2016 and has since pursued careers in music and acting.
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Early Life and Start in Gymnastics
McKayla Rose Maroney was born in Aliso Viejo, California, on December 9, 1995. Her parents, Erin and Mike Maroney, were also athletic. Her father played quarterback in college, and her mother was a figure skater.
Maroney was a very energetic child. She once said, "When I was younger, I would be watching Tarzan and running around on all fours." Her mom decided to sign her up for gymnastics because of her high energy.
At age nine, she began training seriously. She was homeschooled so she could focus on her demanding gymnastics schedule.
Gymnastics Career
Junior Competitions
As a young gymnast, Maroney quickly showed her talent. In 2009, she competed at the U.S. Championships. It was here she first performed the difficult Amanar vault, which helped her place third in that event.
In 2010, she won the bronze medal in the all-around competition at the U.S. Championships. She also became the junior national champion on the vault.
Later that year, she competed at the Pan American Championships. She helped the U.S. team win gold and also won individual gold medals for her vault and floor exercise routines.
Senior Competitions
First World Championships in 2011
In 2011, Maroney began competing as a senior gymnast. At the World Championships in Tokyo, Japan, she was part of the U.S. team that won the gold medal.
She also competed in the individual vault final. Her performance was so strong that she won the gold medal by a large margin.
The Road to the Olympics
In 2012, Maroney prepared for the Olympic Games. She continued to perform the difficult Amanar vault. At the U.S. National Championships, she suffered a fall during warm-ups. She was diagnosed with a minor concussion and a nasal fracture.
Despite the injury, she recovered and competed at the Olympic Trials. She performed well enough to be chosen for the U.S. Olympic team. She joined teammates Gabby Douglas, Aly Raisman, Kyla Ross, and Jordyn Wieber. The team was featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated, a rare honor for a gymnastics team.
2012 London Olympics
At the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, Maroney and her teammates decided to change their nickname from the "Fab Five" to the "Fierce Five". They felt "fierce" better described their powerful style.
In the team final, Maroney performed an almost perfect Amanar vault. She earned a very high score of 16.233, helping the U.S. team win the gold medal. It was the first time the U.S. women's team had won Olympic gold since 1996.
Maroney was the favorite to win the individual vault final. She landed her first vault perfectly but fell on her second. The mistake meant she finished in second place, winning the silver medal.
"McKayla is not impressed" Meme
U.S. President Barack Obama and Maroney making the "not impressed" face together in 2012.
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During the medal ceremony for the vault, a photographer captured a picture of Maroney with her lips pursed to the side, looking disappointed. The photo quickly went viral online and became a popular Internet meme called "McKayla is not impressed."
People edited the image, placing her unimpressed face in funny situations, like on the Great Wall of China or next to runner Usain Bolt. Maroney found the meme funny and even made the face herself on TV shows. In November 2012, she and the rest of the Fierce Five met President Barack Obama. He and Maroney posed for a photo together, both making the famous "not impressed" face.
Comeback and Second World Title
After the Olympics, Maroney had surgery on her leg and toe to fix injuries. She returned to competition in 2013. At the U.S. National Championships, she won gold medals on both the vault and the floor exercise.
She was then selected for the 2013 World Championships. In the vault final, she won the gold medal again. With this victory, she became the first American female gymnast to defend a World Championship vault title.
Retirement from Gymnastics
Maroney had another knee surgery in 2014. She struggled with health issues, including extreme tiredness known as adrenal fatigue. On February 24, 2016, she announced her retirement from competitive gymnastics. She explained that she had been dealing with health problems and burnout from the intense sport.
Life After Gymnastics
Speaking Out for Athlete Safety
In 2017, Maroney bravely spoke out about being mistreated by a former team doctor. She joined many other gymnasts who shared similar stories. Their courage helped bring attention to the importance of protecting athletes.
This movement led to major changes in USA Gymnastics to make the sport safer for everyone. In 2018, Maroney and the other gymnasts who spoke out were honored with the Arthur Ashe Courage Award for their bravery.
Music and Acting
After retiring from gymnastics, Maroney began to explore other interests. In 2020, she released her first single, "Wake Up Call," starting her music career.
She has also appeared as an actress in several TV shows. She had a recurring role in Hart of Dixie and appeared in an episode of Bones. In 2016, she played herself in an episode of the show Superstore alongside other Olympians.
See also
In Spanish: McKayla Maroney para niños
- Gymnastics at the 2012 Summer Olympics
- United States at the 2012 Summer Olympics
