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| SAN JOSE, CA - JULY 01: McKayla Maroney competes on the balance beam during day 4 of the 2012 U.S. Olympic Gymnastics Team Trials at HP Pavilion on July 1, 2012 in San Jose, California. (Image credit: Getty Images via @daylife) |
The 16 year old Maroney is the reigning world champion on the vault and last Thursday she looked fine during podium training on Thursday, drilling a series of complex Amanar vaults that give the United States an edge over the competition.
Maroney will compete on the vault, but will be replaced by Kyla Ross on the uneven bars, balance beam, and floor exercise. "Vault is what I'm here for. I knew I was going to do vault no matter what," said Maroney.
She is getting comparisons to Kerri Strug, the 1996 US Olympian who fought through the pain and helped the United States win the Olympic gold.
Before the games Maroney was kept out of training, spending most of her time behind a small protective wall with her feet hidden from view. "Bad things happen, you just have to make the best of it. It does hurt. It's broken. How is it not going to hurt? I just try to ignore it and I have worked so hard to get here. I can ignore the pain for a little bit," said Maroney.
And ignore it she will have to do. The only thing for Maroney to do right now is to rest her foot as much as possible and grit her teeth as she performs her vault exercise in the biggest moment of her life.
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