Konnor McClain at LSU

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She’s scheduled to attend the next camp (Pan Ams/National Team selection), so I guess she’s not done done yet.
McClain is on the national team, so she needs to attend camps in order to retain her national team stipend for training. If she were to retire from elite now, she would have to give up the funding.

We know McClain isn’t giving up gymnastics, but what is unclear/vague is her motivations and goals moving forward this season. Is she serious about elite or winding down elite an moving to NCAA sooner than we expected?

Even if she didn’t make the World team, there is also the Pan American Games following Worlds.
Worlds are September 30-October 8, with Pan Am Games starting October 20.
While it is possible for gymnasts to do both, I wonder if the close proximity of the events will mean two separate teams like in 2011 and 2015.
In 2019, gymnasts had opportunity to do both because Pan Ams started July 27 for gymnastics and Worlds started October 4, so there was plenty of turn around time.
 
Thanks, I didn’t realise that her funding was contingent on her attendance. I thought it meant she might have more ambitions for this elite season than her posts have suggested.
 
Thanks, I didn’t realise that her funding was contingent on her attendance. I thought it meant she might have more ambitions for this elite season than her posts have suggested.
I don’t believe every camp needs to be attended, but she cannot skip all the camps and still retain her funding, IIRC.

The NCAA athletes have a pass on this, of course, due to their NCAA season.

Konnor will have the option to attend the camp and not verify for Pan Am Championships for example.

My point was that even if McClain plans to go to LSU in the fall, it is unlikely that she would give up her national team training funding by announcing that now.
Others have done this though, for example eMjae Frazier and Faith Torrez. But they also gave up their funding at the same time.

But we still have no 100% real idea of her plans this year since she has been teasing us/vague in her social media posts.
 
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I wouldn’t read too much into it. Most of the seniors that didn’t trial for Pan Ams verified nothing at all.
 
Yeah if anything I’d speculate her going to camp at all means she intends to continue elite. But this certainly is a confusing situation lol
 
Konnor just mentioned on the Ozone Leotards Instagram story that she is still aiming for the Olympics
 
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Ok, that first picture of her with her arms on her hips and the words “yes” looks so sassy and sarcastic, it cracks me up.
 
I didn’t capture the other parts of the IG story, but she said her move to Pacific Reign was more for her mental well-being and happiness. She clearly has no love for WOGA or Texas.
 
I just looked at the IG q&a. She said she’s not sure when she’s starting at LSU but is trying for the 2024 Olympics no matter what.

Yeah, she clearly wasn’t happy at WOGA and doesn’t miss anything about it.

She also mentioned she’ll have new routines this year.

I don’t do Tik Tok, but sounds like drama if this is true:
 
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I have little love for WOGA and thought that was such a bizarre move for Konnor, but the stalking accusations are a bit much. Its national team camp. WOGA has a shit ton of NT members. Of course the first camp is gonna be mega hugly uncomfortable if this split is even half as dramatic as it sounds. But I highly doubt Valeri was stalking Konnor. Maybe being a total asshole, yeah. But he has how many other elites at camp? I’m guessing he was a bit more worried about them.
 
Ever since social media “stalking” became a term, I find it means more keeping track of/keeping an eye on someone. Maybe even starting up unwanted conversations like “we would’ve had that skill better”, “you shouldn’t be training that way”, “that routine construction won’t work for you” etc. I don’t know him to know if that’s something he’d do, but it could definitely make her feel uncomfortable.
 

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