By the time Olympic gymnasts are back in training and looking forward for their next competitions, American gymnasts are enjoying their newly found fame. But does Hollywood put an end to gymnastics careers?.
Since the Athens Olympics in 2004, U.S Olympic gold medalists gymnasts have been enjoying their newly found fame after their success at the Olympics to the point where they can't go back to competitive gymnastics.
Carly Patterson who won gymnastics most prestigious medal "the all around" gold at the Athens Olympics, received a lot of media attention after returning to her home country. Patterson announced that she will be taking some time off from the sport. She also expressed desire to become a singer. In 2005 She gave an interview on FOX Sports Net's Sports Sunday in which she gave more details on her future career.
Patterson announced her retirement in 2006 without ever participating in another major competition. Patterson stated that a back injury is what made her retire from the sport, but it was clear that even if it hadn't been for the injury, Patterson wouldn't had returned to the sport.
Beijing Olympics was a huge success for Nastia Liukin and Shawn Johnson. Nastia won five medals including the all around gold and Shawn won four medals including an individual gold medal. Like their compatriot Carly Patterson, they both stopped competing after the Olympics and enjoyed the media attention. In 2010, Johnson torn her ACL while skiing. After two months she announced her comeback with the intention of making the 2012 U.S Olympic team. Johnson failed to make the 2011 World team and only made the Pan American games team. She ended her comeback two months before the Olympic due to continuing problems with her left knee.
Liukin kept postponing her comeback until the end of 2011. Liukin competed at the visa national championships and Olympic trail. She failed to make the U.S Olympic team and shortly afterwards retired.
Looks like the Fierce Five or the gold winning U.S Olympic team members will follow within the footsteps of Liukin, Johnson and Patterson.
The all around gold medalist Gabby Douglas announced her intention to continue in the sport and make the 2016 Olympic team. Douglas said she will only perform in 20 out of the 40-city Kellogg's Tour of Gymnastics Champions so she can get back to training but later announced she will be doing all 40 stops. Douglas now is busy as she is on her book tour.
The Olympic vault silver medalist Mckayla Maroney also announced several times that she is not done yet with gymnastics and she is looking forward to compete again and make the 2016 Olympic team. After the Olympics, Maroney injured herself on the tour and had to undergo surgery. Maroney expressed desire to become an actress and stated that she will move on acting after ending her gymnastics career. Maroney landed a role in the CW television series Hart Of Dixie, the episode aired on 20 November. She said that the producers want her to do another episode.
Maroney will be busy now days as she has been named one of the seven judges for the 2013 Miss America competition.
Aly Raisman and Jordyn Wieber along with their teammate Gabby Douglas will be participating in another tour "Teen Choice Live" which combines gymnastics, cheerleading and music.
The only one who is taking her goal of competing at the next Olympic games seriously is Kyla Ross as she has already been back in full time training.
Will the Fierce Five get wrapped up with their newly found fame ?
Written by Gigi Khazback Farid
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You are totally correct.
ReplyDeleteShawn Johnson and Nastia Liukin kept saying for ages that they were still "hoping to make the team for 2012". But in reality they couldn't get back to their best.
The same thing is happening here. They say they want to make 2016, but in reality each day they take off training a new gymnast will be training each day and will be soon as good as them.
None of the 2008 team made the 2012 team in the end, I reckon 1 at most from the 2012 team will make the 2016 team.
Shawn and Nastia couldn't get back to their best because they didn't put in the training time. Alicia was able to get two routines scoring in the top three and that was with coming back from an injury. Shawn and Nastia could've made it if they had put in the time.
ReplyDeleteNormally, I would give the 2012 team a chance to snag two spots on the 2016 team if they trained for it but Jordyn's coach has already written her off and unless she goes to another coach, I don't think she will make it. I don't know if Gabby will come back. That girl had not hit puberty yet. If she gets done with all her opportunities, she's going to be dealing with a different body AND trying to get her skills back which will be tough.
In my opinion, kyla ross is the only fierce five member that has at least A chance on making the 2013 worlds team. The others are all busy promoting energy drinks, dancing with the stars or trying to be an actor. I highly doubt that any of them will be in Rio.
ReplyDeleteI cant see any of the making the 2016 Olympic team. With Biles and Price as strong AA'ers and then between Priessman, Price and Ohashi (and Madison Desch? Not positive she's turned senior yet?) For event specialists, I would be be surprised if Kyla didn't even make 2013 worlds. Without a team final its not as important to have a "veteran" even though she barely is one. Also Kyla still has college eligibility which makes her even less likely to make it to Rio.
ReplyDeleteJordyns already burned out.
Maroney will probably find it difficult to get on a worlds team with only vault now that everyone throws amanars.
Douglas is definitely caught up in her "fame"
Aly I see following Alicia's path and being successful in at least one more worlds.
Maybe Aly is able to make it to another worlds, but for sure not in 2013! I don't see Gabby competing in another major event ever again. Instead, she will attend some fashion shows and red carpets...
ReplyDeleteKyla could make it in 2013, because right now there isn't TOO MUCH competition. I mean that Kyla is not safe on making it to worlds, for sure not, but i think altough there are gymnasts like Ohashi, Biles and Price, she could make it. In 2014 there will be a lot new seniors and Kyla will probably have no chance, so that's maybe her last chance to go to world championships.