McKayla Maroney

McKayla Rose Maroney is an American former artistic gymnast born on December 9, 1995. She is best known as a member of the American women's gymnastics team, nicknamed the "Fierce Five," which won a gold medal in the team event at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. At those Games, she also secured an individual silver medal in the vault competition. Across her career, Maroney earned multiple world championship titles and became the first U.S. female gymnast to successfully defend a World Championship vault title in 2013.

Maroney was born in Aliso Viejo, California, to Erin and Mike Maroney, and was raised in an Irish Catholic family alongside two siblings, Tarynn and Kav. Her father was a quarterback at Purdue University, and her mother was a figure skater. She was homeschooled during her childhood. Maroney began participating in gymnastics at age nine at Gym-Max in Costa Mesa, California, training alongside future teammate Kyla Ross. In 2010, she transferred to train at the All Olympia Gymnastics Center.

Her competitive career included junior events such as the 2009 U.S. Championships, where she placed third in the vault standings. In 2010, she earned a bronze medal in the all-around at the U.S. Championships and won gold medals on vault, floor exercise, and in the team event at the Pan American Championships in Mexico. Maroney made her senior international debut in 2011 at the City of Jesolo Trophy, winning the all-around and vault titles. Later that year, she won team and vault gold medals at the 2011 World Championships in Tokyo.

In 2012, Maroney was named to the United States Olympic team for the London Games. She helped lead the team to a gold medal finish, contributing a high-scoring vault in the final. During the vault event final, she won the silver medal after a fall on her second vault. On the podium, a photograph captured Maroney making a disappointed expression with pursed lips, which quickly became a popular viral Internet meme titled "McKayla is not impressed." She later referenced the meme in various public appearances and a 2021 commercial.

Following the 2012 Olympics, Maroney dealt with a fractured tibia and subsequent surgeries. She returned to competition in 2013, winning vault and floor titles at the U.S. National Championships and defending her vault title at the 2013 World Championships in Belgium. Facing health issues including knee surgery, adrenal fatigue, burnout, and depression, Maroney did not compete after 2013 and officially announced her retirement from competitive gymnastics in February 2016.

After retiring, Maroney pursued interests in public life and music. In October 2017, she publicly alleged that former USA Gymnastics team physician Larry Nassar had sexually abused her during her career. She subsequently filed a lawsuit against Nassar, Michigan State University, the United States Olympic Committee, and USA Gymnastics, and testified during court proceedings. In May 2018, she and other survivors received the Arthur Ashe Courage Award. In 2020, Maroney released her first music singles, including "Wake Up Call."