Who is Konnor McClain? US Gymnast wins all-round champion at OOFOS US Gymnastics Championships 2022

The United States Gymnastics Championships came and went and left behind a newly crowned champion in its wake. This year, Konnor McClain took home the national title after an incredible rally.

Despite having recently undergone some internal struggles, McClain overcame it all and went on to take her place on the podium with a gold medal draped around her neck.

Speaking about her victory, McClain said:

“I never thought this could happen — ever. Just looking back at last year and being where I was last year, this is just so crazy to me.”

Over the course of the two-day event, she posted a total score of 112.750, just edging out second place finisher Shilese Jones' 112.000. McClain managed to attain this feat despite reportedly dealing with stress fractures in both shins and a recent concussion.

She believes she is only at 75% health, which is a scary thought for her gymnastics competitors because this recent win means that McClain has managed to take home the gold despite not functioning at full capacity, which only makes her even more formidable for future competitions.

Konnor has not yet competed at the Olympic level and is just 20 years old.

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The trajectory of Konnor McClain's incredible win at the 2022 Gymnastics Championships

McClain did not expect to be at her peak at these Championships because of the professional turmoil she had already undergone, which left her feeling like she was far from competing at any level.

While she had initially hoped to make it to the Tokyo olympics, a hand injury, followed by a Covid poitive test eventually ended up deterring her. The final blow was the deaths of her father and her grandmother, which left her devastated and unable to train.

She watched the Olympics from her home and felt disappointed by the turn her career had taken. After trying to mix things up, she was looking at the 2022 championships as a way to start moving towards the future.

50th FIG Artistic Gymnastics Championships - Day 1

Instead, she took a lead early on and never let go. In the final event, however, the young gymnast slipped and scored a 13.850, which opened the door for Shilese Jones to potentially sneak past her at the last second.

It undoubtedly brought back her initial fears and concerns, and the time in between her performance and the end of Jones' was more than likely agonizing in ways the audience could never imagine.

However, Jones, too, slipped up just a bit. She under-rotated on her final dismount and did not stick the landing, opening up the first spot for McClain at the very last minute.

Konnor's father passed away after a battle with kidney disease last December. She had promised him she'd compete in the 2024 Olympics in Paris, but ultimately felt like she had a long way to go.

She wished she could have talked to her father after her win:

“Honestly, I wish I could talk to my dad right now.”

Her performance was supposed to kickstart her return to gymnastic prominence and get her on track to performing in 2024, but instead it jolted her back into national relevance immediately.

The victory was impressive, even more so, when considering the number of rapid changes she went through over the last year or so to try and revitalize her career: She moved from West Virginia to Texas and began working with the parents of 2008 all-around champion and Olympian Nastia Liukin. Evidently the move and change has paid immediate dividends.

The 2024 Olympics are just around the corner, and if McClain's performance is any indication, she will be there competing and living her dream.