17 year old gymnast becomes national sensation after winning US championships
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A 17-year-old gymnast wowed the world with her outstanding performance on Sunday night and earned the title of US champion, just eight months after losing both her father and her grandmother in the same week.
Konnor McClain, 17, delivered a stunning performance over the span of two days this weekend to surge to victory in the US national all-around competition in Tampa, Florida.
With a combined score of 112.750 across two nights of competition, Konnor elevated her power and gained the attention of the world as she proved herself to be worthy of the next Olympic cycle.
The 17-year-old delivered eight flawless routines across the two days, however, she never imagined she would be granted the all-around champion.
Konnor McClain, 17, wowed the world with her outstanding performance on Sunday night and earned the title of US championship (pictured during her balance beam routine at the US championship 2022)
With a combined score of 112.750 across two nights of competition, Konnor elevated her power and gained the attention of the world
The title was a major win for Konnor who has been a gymnast since she was just 18 months old and has sight set on the 2024 Olympics (pictured at the Trofeo Citta Di Jesolo gymnastics meet 2022)
After the first day of competing, Konnor came second to Shilese Jones, 20, falling just 0.8 points behind her.
In the final rotation, Shilese opened from her tucked position a ‘tad bit early,’ which cost her the top spot on the podium.
Konnor took over the first place spot and swept the award for all-around champion, becoming the sixth woman since 2000 to prevail in their nationals debut.
Other gymnasts who prevailed went on to become known as some of the best gymnasts in the world, including star Simone Biles.
Konnor scored just 5.75 points less than star studded gymnast Simone, who scored 118.500 at the 2019 US championships.
And while Konnor captured the audience with her solid routines, her road to stardom wasn’t an easy one.
The gymnast was born in Las Vegas, Nevada, and began gymnastics when she was just 18 months old.
At eleven years old, she revealed she was destined to become the best gymnast in the world as she told Steve Harvey she had already set her sights on the all-around gold medal at the 2024 Olympics.
And with her recent win, Konnor proved she’s on the way to just that.
However, prior to her rise to stardom, the 17-year-old had to learn how to balance family, grief and gymnastics.
Konnor swept the award for all-around champion, becoming the sixth woman since 2000 to prevail in their nationals debut (pictured at the US championships 2022 during her first balance beam routine)
At the US championship, Konnor appeared confident as she flipped high above the beam and secure the top score (pictured in between Shielese Jones (left) and Jordan Chiles (right)
However, prior to her rise to stardom, the 17-year-old had to learn how to balance family, grief and gymnastics
Konnor struggled with the loss of her father, who died from COVID-19 in December, and had to overcome the unimaginable grief that came with his death (pictured as a child alongside her father and brother)
Konnor’s first senior national debut was supposed to be last year but after a sudden decision to move from West Virginia to Texas after struggling at her gym, she realized she needed to up the stakes and embarked on the cross-country move.
She left her longtime club for the World Olympic Gymnastics Academy in Plano, Texas and begin training under the parents of 2008 Olympic all-around champion Nastia Liukin, Valeria and Anna Liukin.
After her move, Konnor faced a tremendous amount of tragedy and was overwhelmed with grief by back-to-back losses.
Her dad, Marc, died from COVID-19 in December, and her grandmother died in the same week.
Although Konnor was overcome with grief, she kept on working to perfect her routines and fulfill her promise of becoming the 2024 all-around gold medalist, wearing a patch of her father’s initials on her leotard.
Her grief even overcame her at the US championships when she was announced as the winner.
After a cross-country move from West Virginia to Texas, the gymnast faced a tremendous amount of grief when her dad and grandmother died in the same week (pictured during her floor routine at the US championships 2022)
Despite the devastating back-to-back loss, Konnor continued to perfect her routine and even wore a patch with her father’s initials on her leotard (pictured at the US championships 2022)
2020 all-around Olympic champion Suni Lee even awarded Konnor with her medal and later tweeted: ‘I’m so proud’
The gymnast is continuing to further perfect her routines in hopes of landing the top all-around gymnast in the world title at the world championships this fall (pictured during her balance beam routine at the US championships 2022)
When asked how she was feeling after winning, she responded: ‘Honestly, I wish I could talk to my dad right now.’
Just one month before the US championships, Konnor was met with stress factures in both shins, a concussion and the flu.
And because of this, Konnor didn’t think she would perform her best, but she proved herself wrong while also adding major reinforcement to her dreams.
At the US championship, Konnor appeared confident, poised and well-prepared as she flipped high above the beam and secured the top score.
The gymnast even improved throughout the two days, scoring 13.300 on Friday during and a 14.050 the next day during her bar routine.
Her floor routine was filled with precise leaps which helped her secure the title of all-around champion.
2020 all-around Olympic champion Suni Lee even awarded Konnor with her medal and later tweeted: ‘I’m so proud.’
The gymnast is continuing to further perfect her routines in hopes of landing the top all-around gymnast in the world title at the world championships this fall.