August 3, 1984: Watch Mary Lou Retton Win Gold
It was on August 3, 1984 that Mary Lou Retton became the first American woman to win win the women’s gymnastics all-around gold medal at the Summer Olympics. Retton was just 16 years-old…
It was on August 3, 1984 that Mary Lou Retton became the first American woman to win win the women's gymnastics all-around gold medal at the Summer Olympics.
Retton was just 16 years-old at the time. She was in her sophomore year at Fairmont High School in Fairmont, West Virginia. According to Wikipedia, she was inspired to become a gymnast when she was eight years-old by watching female gymnast Nadia Comameci of Romania defeat the Soviet Union's Olga Korbut at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal.
Since her Olympic gold medal victory at the Los Angeles Summer Games in 1984, she has received many honors. There is a street and a park in her home town of Fairmont, West Virginia which bear her name. She was elected to the National Italian-American Sports Hall of Fame in 1992. She was inducted into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame in 1997.
It was Retton's gold medal-winning performance and her subsequent national popularity which has surely inspired some of the other fantastic American female gymnasts who have followed in her footsteps to claim gold medals at the Summer Olympic Games in the following years. Familiar American female gymnasts such as Kerri Strug, Shannon Miller, Amy Chow, Dominique Dawes, Nastia Liukin, Gabby Douglas, Simone Biles, Shawn Johnson, Aly Raisman, Carly Patterson, Juliana McNamara have all won gymnastic gold for our nation since 1984. Most recently, U.S.A.'s Sunisa Lee won the women's all-around gold medal in gymnastics at the 2020 Summer Games in Tokyo, Japan.
That's an impressive line-up of gold medal winners for a country that did not win many medals in that sport until Mary Lou Retton and her 1984 women's teammates burst on to the scene 38 years ago. Thanks for the memories, Mary Lou!
Let’s be friends! 👍 Follow us on all social media platforms:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/kklz963
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kklz963/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kklz963/
Larry Martino is the long-time Afternoon Drive personality on 96.3 KKLZ. The views and opinions expressed in this blog are those of Larry Martino and not necessarily those of Beasley Media Group, LLC.
Olympic Opening Ceremony: 5 Best and 5 Worst Country Outfits
The Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo started two days prior to the Opening Ceremony, but the event is the official start of the Olympics.
The biggest highlight is the "Parade of Nations" in which each country competing enters Olympic Stadium led by their nation's flag while also donning a special outfit. However, not every Olympic outfit is created equal.
For some fashion fun, here's the ranking of the five best and five worst country outfits (and a few honorable mentions) from the Opening Ceremony of the Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo.
Honorable Mention: Iceland
Clive Brunskill/Getty ImagesTOKYO, JAPAN - JULY 23: Flag bearers Snaefridur Sol Jorunnardottir and Anton Mckee of Team Iceland during the Opening Ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on July 23, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
Honorable Mention: El Salvador
Jamie Squire/Getty ImagesTOKYO, JAPAN - JULY 23: Flag bearers Celina Marquez and Enrique Jose Arathoon Pacas of Team El Salvador lead their team during the Opening Ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on July 23, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
Honorable Mention: Tonga
Hannah McKay - Pool/Getty ImagesTOKYO, JAPAN - JULY 23: Flag bearers Malia Paseka and Pita Taufatofua of Team Tonga lead their team during the Opening Ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on July 23, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Hannah McKay - Pool/Getty Images)
5. Worst: USA
Patrick Smith/Getty ImagesTOKYO, JAPAN - JULY 23: Athletes of team USA enjoy the atmosphere during the Opening Ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on July 23, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
5. Best: Latvia
Hannah McKay - Pool/Getty ImagesTOKYO, JAPAN - JULY 23: Members of Team Latvia during the Opening Ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on July 23, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Hannah McKay - Pool/Getty Images)
4. Worst: Great Britain
Hannah McKay - Pool/Getty ImagesTOKYO, JAPAN - JULY 23: Members of Team Great Britain attend the Opening Ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on July 23, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Hannah McKay - Pool/Getty Images)
4. Best: Aruba
Patrick Smith/Getty ImagesTOKYO, JAPAN - JULY 23: Flag bearers Allyson Ponson and Mikel Schreuders of Team Aruba lead their team out during the Opening Ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on July 23, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
3. Worst: Belgium
Matthias Hangst/Getty ImagesTOKYO, JAPAN - JULY 23: Team Belgium cheer during the Opening Ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on July 23, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Matthias Hangst/Getty Images)
3. Best: Kenya
Maja Hitij/Getty ImagesTOKYO, JAPAN - JULY 23: Flag bearers Mercy Moim and Andrew Amonde of Team Kenya during the Opening Ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on July 23, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Maja Hitij/Getty Images)
2. Worst: South Africa
Clive Rose/Getty ImagesTOKYO, JAPAN - JULY 23: Members of Team South Africa attend the Opening Ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on July 23, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)
2. Best: Tuvalu
Jamie Squire/Getty ImagesTOKYO, JAPAN - JULY 23: Flag bearers Matie Stanley and Karalo Hepoiteloto Maibuca of Team Tuvalu lead their team out during the Opening Ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on July 23, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
1. Worst: Italy
Hannah McKay - Pool/Getty ImagesTOKYO, JAPAN - JULY 23: Athletes from Team Italy are seen during the Opening Ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on July 23, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Hannah McKay - Pool/Getty Images)
1. Best: Cook Islands
Patrick Smith/Getty ImagesTOKYO, JAPAN - JULY 23: Flag bearers Kirsten Andrea Fisher-Marsters and Wesley Tikiariki Roberts of Team Cook Islands during the Opening Ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on July 23, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
1. Best: Cook Islands
Jamie Squire/Getty ImagesTOKYO, JAPAN - JULY 23: Flag bearers Kirsten Andrea Fisher-Marsters and Wesley Tikiariki Roberts of Team Cook Islands during the Opening Ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on July 23, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
