Mary Lou Retton

Mary Lou Retton (born January 24, 1968) is an American retired gymnast. At the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, she won a gold medal in the individual all-around competition, as well as two silver medals and two bronze medals, which earned her the Sports Illustrated Sportswoman of the Year award. Retton's performance made her one of the most popular athletes in the United States. Her gold medal win was historic as Retton was the first American woman to win the all-around gold medal in Olympic gymnastics.

Infobox

Nickname

mw- America's Sweetheart

Born

(1968-01-24) January 24, 1968 (age 57)Fairmont, West Virginia, U.S.

Height

4 ft 9 in (145 cm)

Sport

Women's artistic gymnastics

Countryrepresented

United States

Club

Karolyi Gym

Former coach(es)

Bela Károlyi, Márta Károlyi

Retired

September 29, 1986

Event

Event 1st 2nd 3rd Olympic Games 1 2 2 American Cup 3 0 0 Total 4 2 2

Olympic Games

American Cup

Total

Nickname(s)

America's Sweetheart

Discipline

Women's artistic gymnastics

Tables

· External links

Preceded byPatty Sheehan

Awards and achievements

Preceded byPatty Sheehan

Awards and achievements

Flo Hyman Memorial Award 1995

Awards and achievements

Succeeded byDonna de Varona

Awards and achievements
Preceded byPatty Sheehan	Flo Hyman Memorial Award 1995	Succeeded byDonna de Varona

References

Olympedia
https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/29277
International Olympic Committee
https://www.olympic.org/mary-lou-retton
SI
https://www.si.com/sports-illustrated/sports-illustrated-sportsperson-year-covers
Team USA
https://web.archive.org/web/20190127094411/https://www.teamusa.org/News/2009/August/05/Amazing-Moments-in-Olympic-History-Mary-Lou-Retton
Biography.com
https://www.biography.com/athlete/mary-lou-retton
LiveAbout.com
https://www.liveabout.com/mary-lou-retton-3529897
United States Olympic & Paralympic Museum
https://usopm.org/mary-lou-retton/
The New York Times
https://www.nytimes.com/1984/03/04/sports/mary-lou-retton-power-and-finesse.html
"Mary Lou Retton: All About Lou"
https://www2.cbn.com/article/not-selected/mary-lou-retton-all-about-lou
ighof.com
https://www.ighof.com/inductees/1997_Mary_Lou_Retton.php
The Biography Channel
https://www.biography.com/athlete/mary-lou-retton
ESPN
https://www.espn.com/espn/espn25/story?page=moments/70
General Mills
http://www.wheaties.com/feature/the-wheaties-story/
NBC Sports
http://olympics.nbcsports.com/2016/03/04/mary-lou-retton-gymnastics-olympics-retirement/
NBC Sports
https://www.nbcsports.com/olympics/news/mary-lou-retton-gymnastics-olympics-retirement
New York Times
http://www.slate.com/id/2151608
achievement.org
https://achievement.org/our-history/golden-plate-awards/#sports
achievement.org
https://achievement.org/achiever/general-chuck-yeager/
niashf.org
https://web.archive.org/web/20090330180541/http://www.niashf.org/index.cfm?ContentID=58&InducteeID=158
The Daily Gazette
https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1957&dat=19930517&id=XZYxAAAAIBAJ&sjid=RuEFAAAAIBAJ&pg=1249,4781703
womenssportsfoundation.org
https://web.archive.org/web/20100620043315/http://womenssportsfoundation.org/Content/Athletes/R/Retton-Mary-Lou.aspx
ighof.com
https://web.archive.org/web/20110928145112/http://www.ighof.com/honorees/honorees_marylou.html
houstonsports.org
https://www.houstonsports.org/houston-sports-hall-of-fame-class-of-2020/
Chain Drug Review
The Washington Post
http://www.edhighbeam.com/doc/1P2-1156729.html
Wheaties Fun Facts. wheaties.com
https://web.archive.org/web/20080828024559/http://www.wheaties.com/history/wheaties_fun_facts.aspx
"Mary Lou Retton Biography"
https://web.archive.org/web/20090328072558/http://www.biography.com/search/article.do?id=9455941
"Prowess alone won't get an athlete on Wheaties"
https://web.archive.org/web/20140611030952/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-3862278.html
Times Now
https://www.timesnownews.com/world/mary-lou-retton-life-insurance-commercial-resurfaces-after-her-hospitalization-article-104327673
congress.gov
https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/senate-bill/534/text
The New York Times
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/29/sports/facing-congress-some-sports-officials-not-all-begin-to-confront-sex-abuse.html
Billboard
https://books.google.com/books?id=DCQEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA5
Mary Lou's Flip Flop Shop
https://web.archive.org/web/20080715054140/http://www.houstonpbs.org/site/PageServer?pagename=prd_flipflopshop
People
http://people.com/tv/radioshack-super-bowl-commercial-every-80s-reference-in-the-ad-spot/
Entertainment Tonight
https://www.etonline.com/dancing-with-the-stars-season-27-cast-revealed-meet-the-celebs-and-their-pro-partners-109440
USA Today
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/columnist/brennan/2024/01/08/mary-lou-retton-wont-answer-questions-donations-health-care/72154792007/
HBUHuskies.com
https://hcuhuskies.com/news/2012/5/11/FB_0511120511.aspx
marylouretton.com
https://web.archive.org/web/20100515182825/http://marylouretton.com/ml_biography.html#bio
Houston Chronicle
https://www.chron.com/life/article/mary-lou-retton-teaches-healthy-attitudes-to-her-1608704.php
People
https://people.com/tv/dwts-mary-lou-retton-divorces-shannon-kelley/
Sports Illustrated
https://www.si.com/olympics/2023/10/10/mary-lou-retton-fighting-for-life-pneumonia-daughter
The Mercury News
https://www.mercurynews.com/2023/10/11/mary-lou-rettons-lack-of-insurance-raises-questions-as-crowdfunding-passes-250000/
The New York Times
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/12/health/mary-lou-retton-medical-bills-crowdfunding.html
People
https://people.com/mary-lou-retton-shares-health-update-recovering-with-family-8384482
pennlive.com
https://www.pennlive.com/health/2024/01/mary-lou-retton-after-459000-in-donations-faces-questions-about-being-uninsured.html
"Olympic legend Mary Lou Retton arrested on DUI charge, records show"
https://www.foxnews.com/sports/olympic-legend-mary-lou-retton-arrested-dui-charge-records-show
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSUgprz18rA "Entertainment Tonight" 782,170 views Jul 8, 2025 Former Olympian Mary Lou
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSUgprz18rA