In Fairmont, West Virginia, Mary Lou Retton was born on January 24, 1968. Her father, Ronnie, founded a company that sold supplies for the transportation of coal. Retton resided in Houston, Texas, until her family moved back to West Virginia in 2009. In 2012, she relocated back to Houston. When Retton was 8 years old, she was motivated by seeing Nadia Comăneci defeat the reigning Olympic two-event champion Olga Korbut on television during the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, and she began training in gymnastics in her home town of Fairmont, West Virginia. She received coaching from Gary Rafaloski.
Retton won both the 1983 and 1984 American Classics in addition to the 1983 Japan Chunichi Cup despite missing the 1983 World Gymnastics Championships because of a wrist injury. In 1984, Retton had just won her 2nd American Cup, the U.S. Nationals, and the U.S. Olympic Trials when she hurt her knee while executing a floor routine at a nearby gymnastics facility.
Retton was a big advocate of the Reagan administration and surfaced in numerous television advertisements for him. A month after the Olympics, she also attended a rally in her home state of West Virginia for his reelection campaign. During the second night of the 2004 Republican National Convention, Retton and fellow veteran gymnast and 1996 Olympic champion Kerri Strug recited the Pledge of Allegiance.
In this article, we will talk about Mary Lou Retton’s life and achievements in this article. Career Statistics Some Interesting Personal Life Information That You Should Know About.
Mary Lou RettonBiography
Read More
Real Name: Mary Lou Retton
Nickname: America’s Sweetheart
Profession: Professional American Gymnast
Read More
Manager: MLR Entertainment
Discipline: Women’s Artistic Gymnastics
Club: Karolyi Gym (Former)
Coach/Mentor :BélaKárolyi, MártaKárolyi (Former)
Mary Lou Retton Physical Status:
Height:4 ft 9 in
Read More
Weight: 42Kg
Eye colour: Brown
Hair colour: Dark brown
Mary Lou RettonPersonal Life:
Date of Birth: January 24, 1968
Place of Birth: Fairmont, West Virginia, United States
Country of Birth: United States
School: Fairmont Senior High School
College: The University of Texas at Austin, West Virginia University
Highest Educational Qualifications: Not Known
Zodiac Sign: Aquarius
Hobbies: Cooking and reading books
Mary Lou RettonFamily life
Mother’s Name: Lois Retton
Father’s Name: Ronnie Retton
Siblings Name: Not Known
Marital Status: Divorced
Children’s Name: Shayla, Emma, Skyla and McKenna
Mary Lou RettonAchievements
- At the 1984 Olympic Games, Mary Lou Retton became the first American female athlete to take home a gold medal in the all-around competition.
- At the 1984 Olympic Games, Mary Lou Retton won the silver medal in the vault competition.
- Mary Lou Retton won bronze medals for her incredible feats in the floor exercise and uneven bars competitions at the 1984 Olympic Games.
- Moreover, Mary Lou Retton was selected “Sportswoman of the Year” by the renowned Sports Illustrated magazine in the United States.
- In 1997, Mary was given a place in the “International Gymnastics Hall of Fame.”
Here are some lesser-known facts about Mary Lou Retton
- At the age of 18, Retton retired. She took part in a few events after the Olympics and won them all. She made the decision to retire because she wanted to be recognized as a conqueror rather than as an ailing older athlete.
- Retton’s 28-year marriage ended in divorce in February 2018.
- Retton’s family is one that has many athletes. All four of her kids have participated in gymnastics.
- In her native Fairmont, West Virginia—where she was born and raised—a road and a park bear her honour.
- The President’s Council on Physical Health and Sports included Retton as a member in 2004.
Also Read: Top 5 Bowlers with most wickets in IPL history
-IANS
“Get more sports news, cricket news, and football updates, log on to sportsdigest.in. Follow us on Facebook or Twitter and Subscribe to our YouTube Channel.”
