Retton, Mary Lou (1968–)

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Retton, Mary Lou (1968–)

American gymnast. Born Jan 24, 1968, in Fairmont, West Virginia; m. Shannon Kelley (financial analyst), Dec 29, 1990; children: 4 daughters, Shayla (b. 1995), McKenna (b. 1997), Skyla (b. 2000) and Emma (b. 2002).

Won Sanlam Cup (1982), American Cup, Chunichi Cup and Emerald Empire Cup (1983), American Classic, American Cup, Mardi Gras Invitational, Caesar's Palace Invitational, and US nationals (1984), and American Cup (1985); at Los Angeles Olympics, won a gold medal in all-around, silver medals in team all-around and vault, and bronze medals in uneven bars and floor exercises (1984); was the 1st woman in the world to complete a variation of the Tsukahara vault, the 1st American woman to win an individual Olympic medal in gymnastics, and the 1st official female spokesperson for Wheaties.

See also Mary Lou Retton and Bela Karolyi Mary Lou: Creating an Olympic Champion (McGraw-Hill, 1986); Herman Silverstein Mary Lou Retton and the New Gymnasts (Watts, 1985); Rosemary G. Washington Mary Lou Retton, Power Gymnast (Lerner, 1985).