Mary Lou Retton-Kelley

Class of 1997
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Birthdate: January 24, 1968

Mary Lou Retton catapulted to international fame by winning the All-Around Gold Medal in women’s gymnastics at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, becoming the first American woman ever to win a gold medal in gymnastics. She also won silver medals for Team and Vault, and bronze medals for Uneven Bars and Floor Exercise. Her five medals were the most won by any athlete at the ’84 Olympics. To this day she remains the only American ever to win the Olympic All-Around Title.

Other victories include being the only woman to win three American Cups (1983-85), the only American to win Japan’s prestigious Chunichi Cup (1983), two U.S. Gymnastics Federation American Classics (1983-84), and the All-Around title at both the 1984 National Championships and Olympic Trials. Mary Lou retired from competitive gymnastics in 1986.

Retton was married in 1990 to Shannon Kelly, an investment broker. She now spends her time raising her 4 daughters and promoting healthy lifestyles through motivational speaking and being a corporate spokesperson.

Retton, Mary Lou | The Legacy of USA Gymnastics

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Mary Lou Retton catapulted to international fame by winning the All-Around Gold Medal in women’s gymnastics at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, becoming the first American woman ever to win a gold medal in gymnastics. She also won silver medals for Team and Vault, and bronze medals for Uneven Bars and Floor Exercise. Her five medals were the most won by any athlete at the ’84 Olympics. To this day she remains the only American ever to win the Olympic All-Around Title.

Other victories include being the only woman to win three American Cups (1983-85), the only American to win Japan’s prestigious Chunichi Cup (1983), two U.S. Gymnastics Federation American Classics (1983-84), and the All-Around title at both the 1984 National Championships and Olympic Trials. Mary Lou retired from competitive gymnastics in 1986.

Retton was married in 1990 to Shannon Kelly, an investment broker. She now spends her time raising her 4 daughters and promoting healthy lifestyles through motivational speaking and being a corporate spokesperson.