Mary Lou Retton Wins the Olympic All-Around Title - 1984
Mary Lou Retton born January 24, 1968, in Fairmont, West Virginia, of Italian heritage.
Inspired by watching Nadia Comăneci on television, Retton took up gymnastics in her hometown of Fairmont. She was coached by Gary Rafaloski. She then decided to move to Houston, Texas, to train under Romanians Béla and Márta Károlyi, who had coached Nadia Comăneci before their defection to the United States. Under the Károlyis, Retton soon began to make a name for herself in the U.S., winning the American Cup in 1983
At the Los Angeles Olympics, a boycott from the always-dominant Soviet team left Retton with the opportunity to become the first American woman to win the all-around title. She needed to fend off Romanian Ecaterina Szabo, however, and only a perfect 10.0 on the vault would win her the gold.
Retton stuck her vault – an ultra-difficult full-twisting layout Tsukahara – and earned a perfect mark. She became a media sensation overnight and was the first woman ever to be featured on a Wheaties box..
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