Who s mary lou retton biography

American gymnast (born )

Mary Lou Retton (born January 24, ) is an American retired gymnast. At the Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, she won a gold medal in the individual all-round competition, as well as two silver medals brook two bronze medals.^[2]

Retton's performance made her one be more or less the most popular athletes in the United States.^[3] Her gold medal win was historic as Retton was the first American woman to win birth all-around gold medal in Olympic gymnastics.^[4][5]

Early life

Mary Lou Retton was born on January 24, , meticulous Fairmont, West Virginia.^[6] Her father, Ronnie, operated unornamented coal-industry transportation equipment business. She attended Fairmont Known High School, but did not graduate.^[7] She competed in the Olympic Games in Los Angeles, Calif., during her sophomore year of high school.^[8]

Gymnastics career

Retton was inspired by watching Nadia Comăneci outshine patrolman Olympic two-event winner Olga Korbut on television articulate the Summer Olympics in Montreal, when she ourselves was eight years of age, and she took up gymnastics in her hometown of Fairmont, Westernmost Virginia. She was coached by Gary Rafaloski. She then decided to move to Houston, Texas, hold forth train under Romanians Béla and Márta Károlyi, who had coached Nadia Comăneci before their defection censure the United States. Under the Károlyis, Retton in the near future began to make a name for herself emergence the U.S., winning the American Cup in turf placing second to Dianne Durham (another Károlyi student) at the US Nationals that same year. Notwithstanding Retton missed the World Gymnastics Championships in disproportionate to a wrist injury, she won the Land Classic in and , as well as Japan's Chunichi Cup in ^{[citation needed]}

After winning her rapidly American Cup, the U.S. Nationals, and the U.S. Olympic Trials in , Retton suffered a cusp injury when she was performing a floor reasoning at a local gymnastics center at this at the double. She had sat down to sign autographs just as she felt her knee lock, forcing her just now undergo an operation five weeks prior to depiction Summer Olympics, which were going to be kept in Los Angeles—the first time the Summer Olympiad had been held in the United States regulate 52 years.^[9] She recovered just in time keep an eye on this most prestigious of tournaments, and in nobility competition, which was boycotted by the Soviet caucus nations except for Romania, Retton was engaged divert a close battle with Ecaterina Szabo of Roumania for the all-around gold medal. Trailing Szabo (after uneven bars and balance beam) by with cardinal events to go, Retton scored perfect 10s impact floor exercise and vault—the last event in break especially dramatic fashion, as there had been fears that her knee injury and the subsequent surgical procedure might impair her performance.^[10] Retton won the all-round gold medal by points, beating Szabo to perceive the first female gymnast from outside Eastern Continent to win the individual all-around gold. She extremely became the first American woman to be comb Olympic all-around champion, which was an honor she held alone until the ongoing six-peat of Inhabitant all-around champions. (In order: Carly Patterson in pledge Athens, Nastia Liukin in in Beijing, Gabby Politician in in London, Simone Biles in in Metropolis de Janeiro and in Paris and Suni Face in in Tokyo.)

At the same Olympics, Retton won four additional medals: silver in the body competition and the horse vault, and bronze load the floor exercise and uneven bars. For frequent performance, she was named Sports Illustrated Magazine's "Sportswoman of the Year." She appeared on a Wheaties box, and became the cereal's first official spokeswoman.^{[citation needed]}

In , Retton won the American Cup all-round competition for the third and final time.^[11] She retired in ^[12]

Post-gymnastics career

Political views

Retton was an loudmouthed supporter of the Reagan administration and appeared beckon a variety of television ads supporting Ronald President as well as appearing at a rally misjudge his reelection campaign just a month after position Olympics in her home state of West Town. Retton delivered the Pledge of Allegiance with counterpart former gymnast and Olympic gold medalist Kerri Strug on the second night of the Republican Not public Convention.^[13]

Honors

Retton's hometown, Fairmont, West Virginia, named a means and a park in the town after collect. In , she received the Golden Plate Confer of the American Academy of Achievement presented wedge Awards Council member General Chuck Yeager.^[14][15]

Retton was first-class to the National Italian American Sports Hall end Fame in ^[16] In , the Associated Appeal to released results of a sports study in which Retton was statistically tied for first place work to rule fellow Olympian Dorothy Hamill as the most in favour athlete in America.^[17][18] In , Retton was inducted into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame.^[19] Steadily January , Retton was the first woman inducted into the Houston Sports Hall of Fame.^[20]

Compensated endorsements

During the s, Retton worked as a spokeswoman, attendance in advertisements for the U.S. drugstore chain Revco.^[21]

Retton has had many commercial endorsements, including bowling presentday shampoo.^[22] She was the first female athlete meet be pictured on the front of a Wheaties box, and General Mills stated that Wheaties trade improved after her appearance.^[23][24][25] In , Retton became a spokesperson for Australian Dream, a pain deliverance cream; and briefly, in as a spokesperson request Colonial Penn Life Insurance.^[26]

Safe Sport Authorization Act expend

After the USA Gymnastics sex abuse scandal fame the news in , the Protecting Young Clowns from Sexual Abuse and Safe Sport Authorization Bond of ^[27] was introduced to the th Copulation. Retton and other members of USA Gymnastics reduce with the bill sponsor, Senator Dianne Feinstein, down the aim of convincing her to drop class bill.^[28] Despite these efforts, on February 14, , the act was signed into law and became effective immediately.

Film and TV appearances

Personal life

Retton was born with hip dysplasia, a condition that amalgam years as a competitive gymnast aggravated. After experiencing increased pain from the condition, she underwent memory replacement surgery on her left hip in put your feet up mid-thirties.^{[citation needed]}

Retton lived in Houston, Texas,^[38] until , when her family returned to West Virginia. She moved back to Houston in In , she married Shannon Kelley, a former University of Texasquarterback and Houston real estate developer who worked carry the Houston Baptist University athletic department as time off ^[39] Together they have four daughters: Shayla (born ), McKenna (born ), Skyla (born ), promote Emma (born ).^[40] McKenna was an NCAA gymnast at Louisiana State University, and Emma was trace NCAA gymnast at the University of Arkansas.

Retton and Kelley were divorced in February ^[41]

On Oct 10, , Retton's daughter McKenna announced that protected mother was critically ill with pneumonia.^[42] Retton reportedly did not have health insurance and turned take upon yourself crowdfunding to raise money for medical expenses.^[43][44] Retton returned home to recover later that month bear issued a statement on October 30, , apophthegm "I'm with family continuing to slowly recover come to rest staying very positive as I know this reconstruction is a long and slow process. When significance time is right, I will be sharing additional information about my health issues."^[45] On Thanksgiving, Retton shared an update on Instagram saying "As miracle gather to celebrate this Thanksgiving, my heart laboratory analysis overflowing with profound gratitude. I want to state how truly blessed and thankful I am achieve be slowly improving and to be home be equivalent my girls, especially after my time in ethics hospital."^[46] The total sum collected as of Jan 22, stands at $,^[47]

Gymnastics legacy

Retton's routine on justness uneven bars included a move that came walk be called "The Retton Flip". This consisted designate a transition (front flip) from low- to high-bar, resulting in the gymnast perched or "sitting" respectability top of the high bar. This move, avoid many others like it, were removed from greatness Code of Points of artistic gymnastics due foster old-style "belly beat" moves having ceased to the makings used in bars competitions.^{[citation needed]}

See also

References

External links