Mary Lou Retton Biography

Mary Lou Retton, born on January 24, 1968, is an American retired gymnast. In 1984 she earned two silver medals and two bronze medals at the Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, contributing to her recognition as Sports Illustrated Sportswoman of the Year. Her gold medal win marked the first time an American woman claimed the all-around title in Olympic gymnastics. Retton recovered in time to challenge Romania's Ecaterina Szabo for the all-around gold medal in an Olympic competition boycotted by most Soviet bloc nations. She earned silver medals in the team competition and the horse vault, and bronze medals in the floor exercise and uneven bars. In 1985, she won the American Cup all-around competition for the third and final time. Her hometown of Fairmont, West Virginia, honored her by naming a road and a park after her.