Mary Lou Retton of Houston, Texas –
Ms. Retton became a household name when she won the all around title at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles: the first American woman to win an Olympic gold medal in gymnastics. During those games she also won silver medals for the team competition and vault and bronze medals for her performance on the uneven bars and the floor exercise. Ms. Retton won the most medals of any athlete at the ’84 Games. In addition to her performance at the Olympics, Ms. Retton is the only American to win Japan’s prestigious Chunichi Cup (1983) and the only woman to win 3 America’s Cups (1983-85). Ms. Retton retired from competitive gymnastics in 1986, but maintains a busy schedule through public appearances and her work with the Children’s Miracle Network. She has served as an Olympic commentator and reporter for NBC and USA Today and co-hosted the weekly TV series, “Road to Olympic Gold.”
