Mary Lou RETTON
|
|
United
States (USA)
|
Date
of birth |
24 January
1968 |
Height |
152 cm |
Place
of birth |
Fairmont
(W.Virginia) |
|
|
Gender |
Female |
Hometown |
Houston, Texas |
Head
coach |
Gary
Rafokolsky, Bela Karolyi |
Spouse
name |
Shannon
Kelley (December 29, 1990) |
Children |
Daughters:
Shayla Rae (April 12, 1995)
McKenna Lane (April
12, 1997)
Skyla Brae (August 9, 2000)
Emma Jean
(June 20,2003) |
World class in |
1984 |
First competition |
1980 |
Last competition |
1985 |
Medal Total
Olympics:
1 Gold, 2 Silver, 2 Bronze
Year |
Competition |
Team |
AA |
|
|
|
|
1980 |
Capitol Cup
USGF
Jr. Nationals |
-
- |
-
7 |
4
1 |
-
- |
-
- |
2
6 |
1981 |
Capitol Cup
Jr.
Elite Nationals
Jr. USA Nationals
National Sports Festival |
-
-
-
- |
2
7
5
2 |
-
-
-
- |
-
3
-
- |
-
-
-
- |
-
-
-
- |
1982 |
Jr. US Classic "A"
Jr. USA Nationals
Sanlam Cup
USA-CHN Dual Meet
USA-JPN Dual Meet
USGF Intern. Invitational |
-
-
-
-
1
- |
6
2
1
8
2
12 |
-
2
-
1
-
- |
-
1
-
-
-
- |
-
6
-
-
-
- |
-
1
-
1
-
- |
1983 |
American Cup
Chunichi Cup
Emerald Empire Cup
Pre-Olympics
Tokyo
Cup
US Classic
USA Nationals |
-
-
-
-
-
-
- |
1
1
1
2
-
2
3 |
-
-
-
1
1
-
2 |
-
-
-
1
-
-
2 |
-
-
-
3
-
-
- |
-
-
-
1
-
-
- |
1984 |
American Cup
23.
Olympic Games
Albuquerque Journal Intl. Invit.
American Classic
Caesar's
Palace Invitational
Intl. Mixed Pairs
Mardi
Gras Invitational
US Classic
USA Nationals |
-
2
-
-
-
3
-
-
- |
1
1
1
1
1
-
1
-
1 |
-
2
-
-
-
-
-
1
1 |
-
3
-
-
-
-
-
1
4 |
-
4
-
-
-
-
-
4
3 |
-
3
-
-
-
-
-
1
1 |
1985 |
American Cup
Intl. Mixed Pairs |
-
4 |
1
- |
1
- |
1
- |
1
- |
1
- |
Pictures
Video:
Olympic Games 1984 - Vault
Honors:
1984 Sports Illustrated Sportswoman of the Year
1984 Associated Press Female Amateur Athlete of the Year
1984 Women's Sports Foundation Athlete of the Year
1984 American Academy of Achievement Award
1985 USOC Olympic Hall of Fame (youngest inductee)
1985 World Almanac "25 Most Influential Women"
1986 NCC Citizen of the Year
1990 Top Ten "Most Admired " Public Figures
1992 Italian-American Sports Hall of Fame (youngest inductee)
1992 Special Advisor, President's Council on Physical Fitness
1992 Official White House Delegate, Summer Olympics
1993 AP National Survey "Most Popular Athlete in America"
1994 'Mary Lou Retton Award' created by US Olympic Comm.
1994 Fitness Magazine's "25 Fittest People in the World"
1995 Flo Hyman Award
1998 Official White House Delegate, Winter Olympics
2000 Humanitarian Hall of Fame Receipient 2003 EIlis Island Medal of
Honor
2003 Ellis Island Medal of Honor
Magazine Covers:
- "Weight Watchers" (USA), May 1993
- "Seventeen" (USA), January 1985
Other Works:
- TV commercial for Lipton Sizzle 'n Stir (2001)
Filmography as Actress:
- Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult (1994) ...Herself
- Scrooged (1988) ...Herself (TV Tiny Tim)
- ABC Funfit (1985) TV Series ...Herself - Host
- Cold War (1998) TV Series (archive footage) (uncredited) ...Herself
(with Reagan in campaign ad)
- Flip Flop Shop (2001) TV Series ...Host
- I Love the '80s Strikes Back (2003) TV Series ...Herself
- I Love the '80s (2002) TV Series ...Herself
- Idols of the Game (1995) TV Series (archive footage) ...Herself
(segment "Love and Money")
Notable TV guest appearances:
- "Weakest Link" (2001) as Herself (episode _Olympian's Edition
(1/27/2002)
- "Buddy Faro" (1998) as Herself (episode 1.4 _Ain't That a
Kick in the Head (10/16/1998)
- "Dream On" (1990) (episode 5.2 _Taking of Pablum 1-2-3, The:
Part 2 (6/29/1994)
- "Dream On" (1990) (episode 5.1 _Taking of Pablum 1-2-3, The:
Part 1 (6/22/1994)
- "Baywatch" (1989) as Herself (episode 4.11 _Child Inside,
The (11/22/1993)
- "Knots Landing" (1979) as Herself (episode 13.15 _Letting
Go (1/23/1992)
Mary Lou Retton catapulted to international fame by winning
the All-Around Gold Medal in women's gymnastics at the 1984 Olympic Games in
Los Angeles, becoming the first American woman ever to win a gold medal in gymnastics.
She also won silver medals for "Team and Vault, and bronze medals for Uneven
Bars and Floor Exercise. Her five medals were the most won by any athlete at
the '84 Olympics. To this day she remains the only American ever to win the
Olympic All-Around Title.
Other victories include being the only woman to win three American Cups (1983-85),
the only American to win Japan's prestigious Chunichi Cup (1983), two U.S. Gymnastics
Federation American Classics (1983-84), and the All-Around title at both the
1984 National Championships and Olympic Trials. Mary Lou retired from competitive
gymnastics in 1986.
Today, she continues to touch the lives of millions. A national sports survey
found Mary Lou to the most popular athlete in America. She is in great demand
as a motivational speaker and corporate spokesperson and also travels the world
as a "Fitness Ambassador" promoting the benefits of proper nutrition
and regular exercise. Mary Lou serves as national chairperson and sits on the
Board of Governors of the Children's Miracle Network. She was a commentator
for NBC at the '88 Olympic Games and wrote a daily column for USA Today at the
'92 and '96 Olympics. At the '96 Olympics in Atlanta, Mary Lou also served as
an on-air reporter for Gannett Broadcasting's NBC affiliates - the largest NBC
affiliate group in the United States. In addition, she co-hosted the weekly
television series Road to Olympic Gold
A budding actress, Mary Lou has appeared in the motion pictures Scrooged and
Naked Gun 33 1/3. She has made appearances on numerous television shows including
Guiding Light, Knots Landing and Dream On, and guest starred in one of the highest
rated episodes of the series Baywatch.
Countless awards and honors have been bestowed on Mary Lou including 1984
Sports Illustrated Sportswoman of the Year; 1984 Associated Press Amateur Athlete
of the Year; the first gymnast and youngest inductee into the USOC Olympic Hall
of Fame; the first woman to appear on the Wheaties box; and one of America's
Top Ten "Most Admired" public figures. In 1994 the U.S. Olympic Committee
established the annual Mary Lou Retton Award for athletic excellence. In 1995,
First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton presented Mary Lou with The Flo Hyman Award
in recognition of her spirit, dignity and commitment to excellence. Mary Lou
was selected a member of the official White House delegation representing the
President at both the 1992 and 1998 Olympic Games.
Gymnastics
> Biography
> Retton
