Mary Lou Retton, a former gymnast from America, earned a gold medal in the individual all-around event at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. She also took home two silver and two bronze medals.
Retton’s exceptional performance catapulted her to the top of the list of beloved athletes in the United States. Her victory in the all-around event was groundbreaking, as she became the first American woman to achieve this feat in Olympic gymnastics.
Early Life
Mary Lou Retton was born in Fairmont, West Virginia on January 24, 1968. Her father, Ronnie, was the owner of a transportation equipment business in the coal industry.
Although she attended Fairmont Senior High School, she did not complete her studies. However, she did participate in the 1984 Olympic games in Los Angeles, California while she was in her second year of high school.
Retton relocated to Houston, Texas, in 1983 to receive coaching from Bela Karolyi. With his assistance, she honed a performance style that complemented her small yet strong physique.
In stark contrast to the graceful and delicate routines that were common in floor events at the time, Retton’s innovative approach showcased dynamic athleticism and precision, revolutionizing the world of women’s gymnastics.
Mary Lou Retton’s Career
During the early 1980s, Mary Lou Retton achieved success in significant American and international competitions. This included being the first American to claim victory in the combined-events category at the Chunichi Cup in Japan (1983).
She also dominated the 1984 U.S. national championships, placing first in the vault, floor exercise, and all-around events. In addition, she made her Olympic debut later that year.
Retton was behind Ecaterina Szabo of the Romanian team by 0.05 points in the all-around competition. In order to win the gold, she had to score a perfect 10 on the vault during the final rotation. She flawlessly performed the challenging Tsukahara vault, which involves a twisting layout back somersault, and ultimately won the gold.
Furthermore, she guided the American women’s team to a second-place finish, marking their first medal since 1948. Additionally, she earned personal accolades with a silver in the vault, a bronze in the uneven parallel bars, and a bronze in the floor exercise.
Shortly after the Los Angeles Olympics, Retton retired from competing. In 1985, she made history as the initial gymnast to be honored in the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame.
Mary Lou Retton went on to have a career as a motivational speaker and TV commentator and also made occasional appearances as herself in shows like Knots Landing and Baywatch.
She also had small roles in the movies Scrooged (1988) and Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult (1994). In 2018, she participated in the competition show Dancing with the Stars.
Personal Life
In 1990, Mary Lou Retton tied the knot with Shannon Kelley, a Houston-based real estate developer who was previously a quarterback for the University of Texas. At the time of 2012, he was employed by the athletic department at Houston Baptist University.
The couple has four daughters together: Shayla (born 1995), McKenna (born 1997), Skyla (born 2000), and Emma (born 2002). McKenna was a collegiate gymnast at Louisiana State University while Emma currently competes in gymnastics for the University of Arkansas. Unfortunately, Retton and Kelley divorced in February of 2018.
Health Update
In October 2023, McKenna, Mary Lou Retton’s daughter, revealed that her mother was in a critical condition due to pneumonia. It was reported that Retton did not have any medical coverage and resorted to using a crowdfunding platform to gather funds for her medical bills.
After returning home to recuperate the following month, Retton released a statement on October 30, 2023, announcing her recovery.
“I’m with family continuing to slowly recover and staying very positive as I know this recovery is a long and slow process. When the time is right, I will be sharing more information about my health issues.”
Mary Lou Retton took to Instagram on Thanksgiving to share an update.
“As we gather to celebrate this Thanksgiving, my heart is overflowing with profound gratitude. I want to express how truly blessed and thankful I am to be slowly improving and to be home with my girls, especially after my time in the hospital.”
