1984 – MARY LOU RETTON
Whether you watched her compete or not, Mary Lou Retton is a household name. The first female gymnast outside Eastern Europe to win the Olympic all-around title, Retton made an indelible mark on American gymnastics.
Where is She Now?
1980s - publicly supported the Reagan Administration
1990s - represented the U.S. drugstore chain, Revco; was inducted into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame
2006 – hosted the children’s program, Mary Lou’s Flip Flop Shop
Now – lives in Houston, Texas with her husband and 4 children
1992 – EVELYN ASHFORD
Having participated in the 1984 and 1988 Olympic Games, Evelyn won her third straight Olympic 4 x 100 m relay gold medal in 1992. From 1986 (after the birth of a child), she was basically self-coached and equipped herself for elite fitness levels through the end of her track and field career. Evelyn is one of only four women to have gold medals for track and field in Olympic history.
Where is She Now?
1990s – was inducted into the National Track and Field Hall of Fame
Now – is a successful business woman and mother
1996 – KERRI STRUG
Part of the 1996 US Women’s Team referred to as the “Magnificent 7,” Kerri’s most memorable moment was when she fell on her first attempt on the vault, then limped to the end of the runway for her second attempt. After she completed a spotless landing on one foot, she pumped her fists and then fell to the floor in agony.
Where is She Now?
Early 2000's – worked as an elementary school teacher in San Fransisco
2003 – moved to Washington, D.C. as a staff assistant with the US Office of Presidential Student Correspondance; worked at the Office of the General Counsel in the Treasury Department
2005 – was appointed by the president to work in the Justice Department’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention
Now – an active marathon runner, she has run marathons in Houston, New York, Boston and Chicago
2000 – CHRISTINE CLARK
Christine is a pathologist from Anchorage, Alaska who loves to run. In 2000, she won the Olympic Marathon Trials. She had hoped to place in the top 20 or hopefully, the top 10. Never did she consider that she could win the race. She improved her personal time by 7 minutes. Even more impressive is her recovery from plantar fascitis throughout the summer before the Olympics.
Where is She Now?
Now – works as an Anatomical and Clinical Pathologist in Anchorage, Alaska with her husband John, who is also a doctor; is a mother of two children
WHO TO WATCH?
ANASTASIA “NASTIA” LIUKIN – OLYMPIC GYMNAST
Accepted to Southern Methodist University for Fall 2008
Eighteen year old Nastia Liukin is a four-time all-around U.S. National Champion in gymnastics. A force to reckon with, she has been the US Senior National Champion on the uneven bars since 2005, and holds the 2007 and 2005 records on the balance beam. She is also the 2005 World Champion on the uneven bars. Still a teenager, Nastia is tied with Shannon Miller as the American gymnast with the most World Championship medals in history.
Born into a family of gymnasts, Nastia’s father, Valeri Liukin (1988 Summer Olympics gold medalist), is her personal coach in Plano, Texas. Her mother, Anna Kotchneva, is the 1987 event World Champion in rhythmic gymnastics. Nastia’s family moved to the U.S. when she was 2 years old, living in New Orleans temporarily before settling in Plano.
Aside from her gymnastic prowess, Nastia has made several film and television appearances, including an Adidas commercial, a Visa commercial and the 2006 Touchstone Pictures production, Stick It. She has hopes of becoming an actress in the future. In 2008, she signed to be a CoverGirl spokesmodel. She also has her own line of gymnastics equipment, including pink mats and balance beams.
Watch Nastia compete in Artistic Gymnastics August 9th through August 24th.
LAURA WILKINSON – OLYMPIC DIVER
Graduate of the University of Texas
Thirty year old Laura Wilkinson holds the title of 2005 World Championship Gold Medalist, 2004 World Cup Platform Medalist, and 2000 Olympic Platform Gold Medalist. She is the only woman in history to have earned all three titles on platform. She is also a native Texan.
Now a 6-time World Cup member and 4-time World Championship member, Laura had ambition to compete as a gymnast when she was a child. After a growth spurt, she was too tall to excel competitively. After watching a female diver execute a highly impressive dive, she caught the bug and picked up the sport.
In 1995, at age 16, Laura joined the U.S. national team. At age 21, she suffered a foot injury just prior to the Olympic Games. Still, she qualified for the Olympics and took the gold medal. Even more impressively, she started her dive on her hands, a feat unprecedented at the elite level. In the 2004 Olympic Games, many of her competitors dove from their hands in order to compete with her level of intrigue.
On June 26, Laura qualified as a member of the 2008 Olympic team. Watch Laura compete in Olympic Diving August 10th through August 23rd.
SARAH HASKINS – OLYMPIC TRIATHLETE
Graduate of the University of Tulsa
Sarah began swimming competitively at the age of five, and was swimming 12 months out of the year by age nine. In high school, she competed as a swimmer, cross country athlete, and track and field athlete. She was the Missouri high school state champ in cross country and swimming. In 1999, she joined the cross country and track college team at the University of Tulsa.
In 2003, she competed in her first triathlon in St. Louis. That same year, she met her husband, Nate (also a professional triathlete). In 2004, Sarah competed in her first professional race. In 2008, she will compete in the Summer Olympic Games as a triathlete.
Watch Sarah compete on August 18th and 19th.
