The Transformation Of McKayla Maroney From Toddler To 25

McKayla Maroney was born on December 9, 1995. The Long Beach, California, native became interested in gymnastics as a toddler, thanks in part to her obsession with the movie "Tarzan," according to the Los Angeles Times. In a 2014 interview with the outlet, her mother, Erin Maroney, said that McKayla wouldn't stop imitating the ape-like movements of the film's titular character. "'We'd be in the grocery store and I'd be asking her to walk upright, please,'" she recalled. In her USA Gymnastics profile, McKayla explained that her mom thought gymnastics would help her burn off the "insane amounts of energy" that she exhibited.

When McKayla was 18 months old, Erin started bringing her to mommy and me classes. In a May 2021 tweet, the future elite athlete recalled how much fun she had during those early days. "The gym is like this huge playground. You bounce on trampolines, swing on ropes, and play in pits," she wrote. By age two, she shared in a 2012 episode of "USA Gymnastics: Behind the Team, she was learning the skills that would help her become an Olympic champ. However, she faced a minor setback on the road to superstardom and quit the sport for six months. "I needed my naps," she said in the "Behind the Team" special. She recalled crying in class and refusing to move because she was so grumpy. When she returned, she fell in love with gymnastics "all over again."

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