Photo: US Health and Human Services. No specific photo credit is given by the source. / Public domain (source: Wikimedia Commons)
Born on January 24, 1968, Mary Lou Retton is from Fairmont, West Virginia, United States. Public records list Mary Lou Retton as an artistic gymnast. That works out to 58 years old in 2026. Education on record includes Fairmont Senior High School and University of Texas at Austin. Awards on record include Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year (1984), Associated Press Athlete of the Year (1984) and International Gymnastics Hall of Fame (1997).
My Take
Mary Lou Retton remains, for me, the purest image of athletic courage. Standing just 145 cm, she landed that perfect-10 vault at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics and won all-around gold, becoming a national hero overnight. What I love is the lesson she embodies: explosive power and nerve have nothing to do with size. Sports Illustrated named her Sportswoman of the Year, and the Hall of Fame followed, but the enduring image is that fearless grin before the run-up. She convinced a generation that heart, not height, decides the medal. That kind of inspiration never expires.
This take was written by generative AI, one per person, from publicly reported facts (editorial policy). It is a reading of the record, not reporting.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Mary Lou Retton
- Name (Japanese)
- メアリー・ルー・レットン
- Reading
- めありー・るー・れっとん
- Born
- January 24, 1968 (age 58)
- Origin
- Fairmont, West Virginia, United States
- Height
- 145 cm
- Occupation
- artistic gymnast
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Aquarius / Monkey
2. Background
- High school
- Fairmont Senior High School
- University
- University of Texas at Austin
Awards & achievements
- 1984 Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year
- 1984 Associated Press Athlete of the Year
- 1997 International Gymnastics Hall of Fame
3. Links
- Official sitehttps://www.marylouretton.com
- Wikipedia (English)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary%20Lou%20Retton
- Wikipedia (Japanese)https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%A1%E3%82%A2%E3%83%AA%E3%83%BC%E3%83%BB%E3%83%AB%E3%83%BC%E3%83%BB%E3%83%AC%E3%83%83%E3%83%88%E3%83%B3
- Wikidatahttps://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q235975
4. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.
Frequently asked questions
When was Mary Lou Retton born?
Mary Lou Retton was born on January 24, 1968 and is 58 years old.
Where is Mary Lou Retton from?
Mary Lou Retton is from Fairmont, West Virginia, United States.
What does Mary Lou Retton do?
Mary Lou Retton works as artistic gymnast.
How tall is Mary Lou Retton?
Mary Lou Retton is 145 cm tall.
Where did Mary Lou Retton study?
Mary Lou Retton attended University of Texas at Austin.
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