McKayla Maroney won’t be launching any new Internet memes at the Rio Olympics.
The gymnast, who became a viral sensation in London with the “McKayla Maroney is Not Impressed” photo, confirmed in an interview with Gymcastic that her competitive career is over. Maroney has not competed since the 2013 world championships, where she won her second gold medal on vault.
“You have to be so passionate and so in love with gymnastics to be able to get to the Olympics,” Maroney said in the lengthy interview, published Wednesday. “When you start losing even just an ounce of that, I was like I’m not going to make it. I’m not.
“I don’t want anybody to think that McKayla is retiring. I don’t even want people to use that word,” she added. “I got into gymnastics when I was 18 months old … and this is something I’m always going to be a part of it. I’m never leaving this sport.
“The only difference is I’m not competing anymore.”
Maroney is the second member of the Fierce Five to announce this week that her elite career is over. Kyla Ross said Monday that she was taking herself out of the running for the Rio Games to focus on college.
Maroney was the best vaulter in the world in 2012, and considered a lock for an individual gold at the London Games. But she fell on her second vault, and wound up with the silver medal.
As she stood on the medals podium, she was photographed scowling slightly with her nose scrunched up. Though Maroney later said the sour expression was because she was trying to maintain her composure amid her disappointment, it spawned hundreds of “Not Impressed” memes and made her the most famous member of the Fierce Five behind Olympic all-around champion Gabby Douglas.
Even President Obama asked Maroney to do the face when the Fierce Five visited the White House that fall.
Maroney had knee surgery following the 2013 world championships, and said the next summer she was still planning to return for Rio. But her body wouldn’t cooperate, and she suffered repeated bouts of adrenal fatigue.
“I was so unhealthy and tired that I couldn’t get out of bed,” she said in the Gymcastic interview. “I was just holding on to that hope that I was going to make (the Olympics). And I wanted to make it so bad. … But eventually you move on. And that’s OK.”
Maroney, who turned 20 in December, said she’s pursuing a career in music.
