Four years ago, McKayla Maroney was going for the gold at the London Olympics as part of the Fierce Five and making headlines for her “not impressed” face. Now, she’s happily focusing on her upcoming musical debut, but she told Us Weekly in a candid chat that the transition wasn’t super smooth.
She said that It was an identity crisis, no doubt,” the 20-year-old told Us of leaving the gymnastics world after multiple surgeries and health issues. “I would go and meet people and they’d tell me, ‘You’re the gymnast.' And I’m like, now that I’m no longer a competing gymnast, it throws people off and that would throw me off. I don’t want to let people down. It was such a big test for me to be like, you know what? No! I’m worth more than a gold medal. I’m worth more than being a gymnast. I am not what I do. I am who I am and I’m what I love.”
