Konnor McClain at LSU

[MaryClare]

I think she means they watch with interest, which is understandable.

If there’s a genuine issue, as there appeared to be at her gym in West Virginia, then raise that issue through the proper channels and go public if you wish. If you just didn’t get along with the coaches at WOGA or found that the methods or atmosphere just wasn’t for you then grow up and move on.

Massive “why is everyone so obsessed with me” vibes here

 

[Laura722]

Yeah, I took it that they were more or less giving her dirty eye looks.

 

[GLeigh]

That’s fair. A lot of Konnor’s TikToks aren’t meant to be taken seriously, but she also seems to use it as an outlet to process more serious things. In a situation like this, it’s impossible to know, and my thoughts about there potentially being awkward conversations were what I imagined to be one of the more extreme options that still seemed possible and likely wouldn’t have much room for official follow-up.

 

[cftmoonlight79]

Im so not a fan of her. Beautiful gymnastics though.

 

[MaryClare]

https://olympics.com/en/news/u-s-champ-konnor-mcclain-exclusive-summer-comeback-injuries

 

[RedBirdie]

Hand surgery is concerning.

One, I’d love to know what caused her to leave WOGA.

Two, I wonder how many months she lasts at PR before she gym hops again.

 

[IratePanda]

I forgot she was the US National champion last year. NGL, I straight-up forgot she existed.

 

[makam]

It feels like she’ll be a “blink and you missed it” gymnast. Hope she proves me wrong.

 

[RichardL]

If she’d been able to do Worlds last year, the team would’ve been dramatically stronger without an injured Leanne Wong, and she might’ve been able to control her ribbons enough to win the beam final even with several mistakes. And probably have challenged for silver AA with Jones. Then who knows what we’d be saying about her chances this year, because Shilese Jones hasn’t competed since last season either, and yet most of us have her on our teams for this year sight unseen.

 

[RedBirdie]

I think people have Jones penciled in because she showed a level of gymnastics and consistency last year that we had never seen out of her before–that gym switch did her wonders. Jones also competed a ton in 2022, so it made sense that she wasn’t going to be out there for the spring 2023 season.

Meanwhile, McClain was too injured to even trial for worlds, then had back surgery, switched gyms, and now has recently had hand surgery. She has all the talent in the world, but she’s rarely healthy and certainly makes enough not-so-cryptic comments on social media to make people question if elite gymnastics is what she wants to be doing.

Three years ago, if you asked me who would have a more successful career, I would have picked McClain without question. But here we are, with Shilese Jones a multiple world medalist. So…what a sport, right?

 

[ArnoldRimmer]

Yeah, Jones is the reigning world silver medallist and has proven herself at the highest level. We know what she can do because the evidence is right there. That doesn’t mean she can automatically do the same again, of course, but it’s a very different situation to Konnor.

Additionally, Shilese having taken a few months off competition completely makes sense and isn’t indicative of any kind of problem. She doesn’t need any more international experience or to get her name out there. Whereas Konnor’s coming off another surgery.

 

[navyblue]

she might’ve been able to control her ribbons enough to win the beam final

omg this has to be an instant gymternet classic phrase/metaphor now. bravo

 

[RichardL]

I’m here for it

 

[ArnoldRimmer]

I still have ribbon related trauma.

 

[dweiss324]

It’s things like ribbon-gate that keep me invested in this sport honestly . To quote Spencer, “because gymnastics is a comedy, not a drama”

 

[MaryClare]

because gymnastics is a comedy, not a drama

You know you’re in the Konnor McClain thread, right?

 

[dweiss324]

Well played

 

[IratePanda]

She’s going to be on “The Today Show” this Thursday.

This doesn’t sit well with me, but then again, it’s none of my business. And I’m so cynical and impatient by nature that nothing sits well with me, so. Yeah.

 

[rlayt]

“because gymnastics is a comedy, not a drama”

Dramedy!

 

[ArnoldRimmer]

I’d say at least 25% of the time it’s actually a farce.