born Jan. 24, 1968, Fairmont, W.Va., U.S.
U.S. gymnast.
Retton began studying dance and acrobatics at age 4. At the 1984 Olympic Games she received perfect scores in her final two events to win a dramatic victory in the combined exercises, becoming the first American woman gymnast to win an individual Olympic gold medal. Her style, exhibiting speed, accuracy, and power, served to transform women's gymnastics. She was the first gymnast inducted into the U.S. Olympics Hall of Fame (1985).