Anthony Farris
Videos by OutKick
With the status of Simone Biles reaching Jordan-ian levels for not competing, one former gymnast is speaking out against those who claim she was FORCED to compete on a broken foot. McKayla Maroney, a 2012 gold and silver medalist, was honored to compete for Team USA, broken foot and all. And now she’s firing back at those who claim she did so against her will.
The media always spins stories incorrectly. Let me be clear, I was NOT forced to compete on my broken foot.
I never said that. I trained my whole life for THAT moment & it was an honor to compete for my country. I had zero doubt I could perform a great vault for Team USA & I did. pic.twitter.com/1Qbmh1PCke— mckayla (@McKaylaMaroney) August 2, 2021
In a statement released via Maroney’s Twitter account, the gymnast told her side of the story: “Just want to be clear that I was not FORCED to compete on my broken foot. I never said that. I trained my whole life for THAT moment and it was an honor to compete for my country. I had zero doubt I could perform a great vault for team USA, and I did. Staying was my choice.”
Maroney’s statement references her silver medal performance at the 2012 Olympics, when she competed with a broken foot that later required surgery.
Her tweet featured a screen grab from two online publications whose headlines mentioned that she was forced to compete. “I’m not sure why the media spun my story this way. I never said I was forced to compete. I wanted to complete. Larry Nassar lied to keep me ON the team,” tweeted Maroney.
In a follow up tweet, the retired gymnast made it clear she had no intentions of quitting the games and is offended by the media’s claims:
As an athlete who did that for my country, it’s extremely offensive for the media to say I was FORCED to compete. As if wanted to quit, and go home? That vault was one of the best moments of my life, please don’t take that away from me.
— mckayla (@McKaylaMaroney) August 2, 2021
“…The vault was one of the best moments of my life, please don’t take that away from me.”
You know, “psychology” is part of sports.. there a plenty of naturally-talented people who cannot handle the pressure.. there are plenty of people in sports who fail because they cannot handle the taunting or the praise…
Those who can handle the pressure and the BS become great… many who can’t handle it fall away while those less-talented, but mentally stable, assume their position – and the accolades or derision. Competition is not just about talent, its about character – either you got it, or you don’t.
Some people, Like Simone just decide they’ve done all they want to do… we don’t understand it, but once you’ve been “the best” and realize that you can never stay on top forever, you stop. It’s not quitting. It’s not losing. It’s just stopping.
“When Alexander saw the breadth of his domain, he wept for there were no more worlds to conquer.” — Plutarch
“When Alexander saw the breadth of his domain, he wept for there were no more worlds to conquer.” -Hans Gruber, Diehard One
She should have come to that realization before the games and allowed someone else to chase their dream.
I agree but imagine it’s hard to walk away from all that potential $$ on the table. That would have been courageous
The Enemedia is ruining the country.
Glad she spoke up.
Mckayla is what a true American Athlete is supposed to be. Good for you Mckayla (can you get my frisbee off the roof?)
Exactly.
Thank you, McKayla.
The quitters are turned into heroes and the heroes are vilified. Biles is a quitter, plain and simple.
Quitting is the new standard for achievement. Good on her for having guts and character.