Three perfect scores of 10 and 9 NCAA Championship titles- What does this mean for a gymnast? It’s a great deal and quite impressive enough, to say the least. But then again, in an age reveal, we tell you that this gymnast is just 19 years old. Gobsmacked, aren’t you? To answer your initial question, no, none of this is hypothetical. A 19-year-old gymnast really did that in 2024. Guess who? We will give you a hint. She was the 2024 NCAA Champion with the LSU Tigers. She even got selected for the 2024 All-SEC team. Does this ring any bells?

Konnor McClain has always been a gymnast with immense potential and a sky-high ceiling. So when she suffered an injury just a month before the Paris Olympic trials, the gymnastics community was heartbroken. But after enduring multiple setbacks throughout her career, McClain had learned to keep looking forward—to remember why she started in the first place.

The LSU Tigers have found their rhythm at just the right time. Their dominant performance against Georgia, earning a nation-best 198.575, is proof. With Haleigh Bryant, KJ Johnson, and Aleah Finnegan all at their peaks, the Tigers are heading into championship season as confidence personified. When asked if such performances were strengthening the team’s self-belief ahead of the upcoming championships, Clark responded affirmatively.

He singled out McClain as the perfect precedent of their progress: “We did it last week. We started seeing it come together several weeks back, and now you’re seeing things carry over that are becoming more consistent. Case in point: Konnor McClain.” Continuing, the Tigers HC shared how the 20-yr-old was doing things she hadn’t done before: “ … landing her bar Dismount two weeks in a row. She drilled three of them in warm-ups today. She told me the other day she’s never in her whole life even worked on sticking landings.”. And now? She’s scoring a near-perfect 9.975. One judge gave her a 10, while the other settled on 9.95—fueling plenty of scoring controversy. But let’s not dwell on that.

The 2024 SEC Beam Champion is looking sharper than ever. It took time, since she hadn’t previously received consistent elite-level coaching. This season is the first time she has had to prioritize her landings, but McClain has risen up to the occasion. Now, she’s her own surprise. Clark shared a moment from warm-ups when McClain stuck two perfect landings and turned to him, asking, “Am I just getting lucky?” His response was of pride but profound: “No, baby, you’re figuring it out.”

For Clark, this kind of consistency is exactly what he has been working toward. “She did it again in the meet, just like last week. That’s one example of the things we’re seeing come together at the right time of the year.” With the SEC Championship approaching on March 22 and the NCAA Championships set for mid-April, McClain is making strides to perfection.

The LSU Tiger gymnast had her eyes set on an early return

When a cherished dream shatters, it’s the spirit that is put to test. For Konnor McClain, qualifying for the Paris Olympics wasn’t just any goal—it felt like destiny. That’s why she was competing in both collegiate and professional meets at the same time. Many believed she was on track to secure the fifth and final spot on Team USA.

On May 18, 2024, fate had other plans when disaster struck. During a floor warm-up routine at the Core Hydration Classic, McClain suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon. She left the arena in a wheelchair, her Olympic dream crushed. It was her fifth surgery, and she faced a long road to recovery. But she refused to let it break her. “I took a different approach. After my Achilles, I sat in my room and said, ‘Let me change my attitude.’”

At just 19 years old, she had her resolve. “I didn’t want to be sad. I wanted to come back and be there for the team, and the team has my back now. Having them support me helped me change my mindset. I’m grateful for them.” Her LSU teammates stood by her through it all. Olivia Dunne, one of McClain’s closest supporters, had no doubt she would return stronger: “Konnor has been through so much, and watching her bounce back with so much strength and determination is truly inspiring. She’s a fighter.”

Ultimately, McClain’s love for gymnastics became her greatest motivator. She wanted to be happy—and for that, she needed to be back on the mat. “At the end of the day, I just want to be happy, and doing gymnastics makes me happy.” Few expected her to return so soon, but by December 2024, she surprised everyone with an Instagram message: “See y’all at the PMAC in two weeks.” And sure enough, on January 3, she was back—competing in the uneven bars and beam events at LSU’s season opener.