Mary Lou Retton

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Arts & Culture

Mary Lou Retton

American gymnast

Written and fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last Updated: Mar 9, 2024 • Article History

Mary Lou Retton

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Category: Arts & Culture

Born:: January 24, 1968, Fairmont, West Virginia, U.S. (age 56)

Awards And Honors:: Olympic Games

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Mary Lou Retton (born January 24, 1968, Fairmont, West Virginia, U.S.) is a gymnast who was the first American woman to win an individual Olympic gold medal in gymnastics. At the 1984 Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles, Retton achieved perfect scores in her final two events (the floor exercise and vault) to win a dramatic victory in the all-around exercises. Retton began studying dance and acrobatics at age four, starting gymnastics training a year later. In 1983 she moved to Houston, Texas, to train with Bela Karolyi, who helped Retton develop a style that suited her compact, muscular frame. ...(100 of 335 words)

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