Name: McKayla Maroney
Born: December 9, 1995
Hometown: Long Beach, CA
School: Home-Schooled
Club: All Olympia AOGC
Coach: Arthur Akopyan
US Ranking: #1 Vault
World Ranking: #1 Vault
McKayla Maroneywas inspired to take gymnastics from watching the movie “Tarzan” when she was 2 years old. She started jumping around on her feet and hands wherever she went. Who knew that one day she would be jumping around for a Gold Medal at the Olympics.
First Time's a Charm
Limbering UpCourtesy of coolspotters.com
McKayla's first major competition took place on a few years at the US gymnastics' national championships, in Dallas, Texas. After she won the bronze medal, her confidence took off and she hasn’t stopped winning medals.
In 2010 she competed for the first time in the jr division of the famous CoverGirl Classic, where she got the second place in Vault. Later that year, she participated once again in the US Championships, and showed huge improvement, which led to her taking the gold in Vault, and the bronze in the All-Around round home.
Recently, McKayla traveled as a part of the USA team to Guadalajara, Mexico, for the Pan American Championships. She definitely left a great impression in her first international competition, because she took three gold medals back to the USA (Vault, Floor and Team).
#1 in the World
World ChampionCourtesy of ESPN
MyKayla is red hot going into the 2012 Summer Olympics. She has been winning top medals in all of her competitions and just last year at the World Championships in Tokyo, she won the Gold medal in her specialty, the vault competition… so she is the #1 ranked female in vault at the 2012 Olympics.
Did you know
McKayla is also a very cool teenager. When she's not training at her gym, the All Olympia Gymnastics Center, she loves to hang out with her friends at the pool, go to the movies or to the beach, and shop.
Have Your Say
Do you think McKayla will win Gold? Let us know who you will be rooting for!
