Why Did So Many Greats Retire After Worlds 2011, and Olympic Trials 2012?

  We saw some greats retire in 2011, and 2012. But we must ask ourselves. Why?





Shawn Johnson (Retired 2011): Gymnastics sweetheart, Shawn Johnson retired after failing to make the Worlds Team in 2011. It was not a "I didn't make the team, I am so depressed" Kinda retirement, we saw at the Secret Classic that Shawn blew out her knee in a skiing accident, and she guaranteed us at Nationals that if she returned and contended for another Olympics, she would be a different Shawn, but we saw traces of the Shawn we all know and love. But after becoming the 3rd alternate "The Stay at Home Alternate" Shawn realized it was a waste of time, she was really done with the sport and did not want to risk her knee running towards what she thought was a dead dream, I was sad to see her retirement, because it wasn't a dead dream. She could've done it. She could've been in contention to defend her beam title.



Chellsie Memmel (Retired 2011)- Chellsie Memmel had the intention to return to the Olympic stage. She had the best performance on night one of the Visas. She was in 3rd place behind Aly Raisman and Jordyn Wieber. She had some great potential and we all knew that she was going to be at the Trials. Going into Night 2, we said "See you at the Trials process Chells. We knew that she was a contender. But all went awry night two, final rotation: Bars. I watched in horror as Chellsie fell off the bar on a EASY skill. The handstand. We watched as Chellsie's father and coach lifted her back to the high bar, and she went again. We watched as she transitioned with a near perfect Pak Salto. But then, she transitioned back up, hit handstand and fell once again. We then discovered after she saluted, routine half done, that her shoulder injury flared up, and she retired.


Nastia Liukin (Came back Late 2011, Retired after missing the Team)- Nastia Liukin, 2008 Olympic Champion. She was the gymnastics queen. But She wanted more. She wanted to succeed with her team rather than by herself. She told us early on in her comeback that she wasnt all around Nastia anymore she was Specialist Nastia, beam and bars. But after falling too many times to count in the process of selecting the Olympic Team, Nastia was ousted.  She retired out of disappointment that her Olympic Chances were really gone.


Rebecca Bross (Recovery Retired Because of Injury 2011, Came Back With Nastia 2012)- We all remember Rebecca's injury on the double twisting Yurchenko. We remembered that day. But Rebecca was so determined to go to London. She came back. But she struggled on bars and beam, her only two events, and it did not pan out, just like Nastia, she realized her dreams wouldn't come true, and walked away from the sport.


Alicia Sacramone (Retired after Trials) Alicia was the 2010 Vaulting Champion and the 2011 World Team Member. She was a great gymnast, but she, with the rest of  her Olympian buddies, didn't make the team



Bridget Sloan: Bridget never retired, she went to Worlds, won the all around in 2009. She won it ahead of teammate, Rebecca Bross. Bridget had all the intention to go back to the Olympic Scene, but she injured her shoulder when warming up a Tkatchev and had to scratch the Trials. We said goodbye to Bridge as she decided to stop her elite career and go down to the collegiate level.

Alicia Sacramone: Leaving The Scene

  Alicia Sacramone.......2008 Olympian, 2011 Worlds Team Member (Had to leave Tokyo because of ACL Tear) and 2012 Trials Trier. Alicia was amazing, sure she fell off the beam on her front tuck mount, but that happens! Ever since then, Alicia has been training, training, training in the gym. Alicia then came back to the sport at the US Classic in 2011, the first step-ladder rung for the World Championship Team, she then moved onto the Visa Nationals, where unfortunately, she had a fall on floor, following it up my some issues on beam. But, it happens, as we saw in the Nationals, Alicia was not the only one who had mistakes, especially after Bross's injury, which had a negative effect on everyone, especially Alicia and Aly, who were both beside Bross when she was competing in 2010. So, it had a negative impact on these two girls, and other girls who were competing aside Bross, and who were close, like other gymnasts, but also, Bross's injury effected the younger gymnasts, like Gabby Douglas, Jordyn Wieber. So, Alicia had a nervy Nationals, but made it to the team, mainly because of the circumstances she was under, and the experience she had. But, after she didn't make the Olympic Team, she saw no reason to continue, and is now married to Brady Quinn, a quarterback. Also, Alicia posed for body issue, naked. Her reasoning for this was "It's a huge honor and a cool opportunity. I wanted to show that you don't need to be 13 or 14 years old to be a gymnast. You can be older and still have good resIt's a huge honor and a cool opportunity. I wanted to show that you don't need to be 13 or 14 years old to be a gymnast. You can be older and still have good results.

When I first got the offer I was a little nervous. But then I thought, "You've worn a leotard in front of a billion people; this isn't that different." Plus, I work out really hard and I'm proud of my body. 

   But, Alicia has not given up performing as a gymnast completely, she has competed in the 2013 Pro Gymnastics Challenge, and is expected to compete again in the 2014 Pro Gymnastics Challenge, later this year. I am looking forward to see Alicia, the old Alicia