What does Carly Patterson do now?

[missypie]

Last night the local news showed Carly Patterson's homecoming at DFW airport. When interviewed, she said that she had accomplished all of her goals in gymnastics.

What do you do when you're 16 years old and have accomplished all of your goals in the thing to which you've devoted your life? Is it harder or easier to do those 6+ hour a day/6 days a week workouts? I wonder if she'll still be competing in 2 years. I remember when Tara Lipinski won Olympic gold in figure skating at maybe 18 years of age ... she basically retired.

It's amazing to win the Olympic all-around at 16, but a bit sad, too, when you've "done it all" at 16.

 

[barbeml]

EAT!!!!!!

 

[Broken8ball]

Go to Disney?

Get your picture on a wheeties box?

Go to HS and act like a normal teenager?

 

[Margie J]

Marry a football player and then star in phone ads in 20 years.

 

[DISshopkeeper]

Originally posted by missypie

I remember when Tara Lipinski won Olympic gold in figure skating at maybe 18 years of age ... she basically retired.

She was 15! And her hips were already shot.

I agree that it's kinda sad when you reach the pinnacle of your life at that age.

 

[danacara]

I guess, at 16, there's no point in staying to party ... you'd have to drag me home from those games kicking and screaming.

She's going to go on tour, right? That Olympic gymnastic tour?

After that, I hope she finds something that makes her happy.

 

[missypie]

I think Courtney Kuppets will have an easier time of it...she apparantly goes to a normal high school. Carly goes to a small private school that is populated by elite gymnasts and other elite atheletes, where the school hours are very short and there are purposefully no outside activies because the students are all devoting themselves to their sports.

 

[Bob Slydell]

Keep training and go for another gold in 2008??

 

[rcyannacci]

Not to be too tacky, but I hope she gets some advice or training in public speaking.

 

[UncleKyle]

After working that hard and all of that stress I'd do a few things. First I'd have a few beers, a shot of whiskey and listen to some Jimmy Buffett, Next I'd go to Disney World

 

[Galahad]

Maybe she'll make some ads and go on to play Peter Pan.

 

[Kallison]

have a cheeseburger and a twinkie

 

[HeyMickey]

She'll probably go on one of the tours after the Games, either the USA Gymnastics/TJ Maxx one or the Rock'n Roll tour. I hope she will keep competing and try for the world championship in '05.

She is ineligible to compete in college gymnastics because she accepted money for the tours, McDonalds bags, etc but she has said she wants to go to college and be a dental hygenist or orthodontist. As far as the next Olympics in 2008, she hasn't ruled it out, but it's way too early to tell - a lot can happen between age 16 and age 20, especially in a sport like gymnastics.

 

[LMC]

I guess getting some type of endorsement (McDonalds) is considered going pro? I was listening to some olympic coverage and they were saying that a track runner was "going pro" and I thought, I know that you can go pro in basketball, baseball, tennis, football, but how does a track runner go pro??? I guess they mean earning money by endorsements. That is sad that she can't compete on a college level; I am sure she would have earned a scholarship!

 

[Figment22]

Originally posted by DISshopkeeper
She was 15! And her hips were already shot.

I agree that it's kinda sad when you reach the pinnacle of your life at that age.

Tara was actually 14 when she won the gold medal.

 

[SonjaB]

Finishes high school, goes to college, finds another area of life in which to excel, another dream to chase and catch......that's the cool thing about life, you can have more than one great moment, more than one goal.

 

[Viking]

Originally posted by LMC
I guess getting some type of endorsement (McDonalds) is considered going pro? I was listening to some olympic coverage and they were saying that a track runner was "going pro" and I thought, I know that you can go pro in basketball, baseball, tennis, football, but how does a track runner go pro??? I guess they mean earning money by endorsements. That is sad that she can't compete on a college level; I am sure she would have earned a scholarship!

Track runners can earn a lot of dough at invitational tournaments. They get paid for competing in events and the organizers of the events often offer special rewards for breaking records - Like a nice Mercedes Convertible or a large wad of money.

 

[mickeyfan33]

taking endorsements is considered going pro and you can't take part on college teams. Michael Phelps is going to the University of Michigan and can't swim for their team- he is going to swim on their club team.

 

[dena91]

Looks like she is going to train and become a gymnast coach to others someday.