Mary Lou Retton Net Worth
Sophia Dalton What is Mary Lou Retton’s Net Worth?
Mary Lou Retton, a retired American gymnast, has a net worth of $8 million. She won the gold medal in the individual all-around competition at the 1984 Summer Olympics.
Following her Olympic win, Retton remained in the public eye through her support of the Reagan administration and her appearances in various TV commercials. She also attended the University of Texas at Austin.
Mary Lou Retton: Early Life and Gymnastics Training
Mary Lou Retton was born on January 24, 1968 in Fairmont, West Virginia. She was born with hip dysplasia, which was worsened over time due to her extensive gymnastics training. Retton began training gymnastics at the age of 8, inspired by Nadia Comaneci’s win in the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal. Her family moved to Houston to support her gymnastics training, where she trained under Bela and Marta Karolyi, the coaches who had trained Nadia Comaneci.
Mary Lou Retton’s Gymnastics Career
Mary Lou Retton quickly became a star in gymnastics after starting to work with the Karolyis. She won the American Cup in 1983 at the age of 15 and placed second in the U.S. Nationals. Retton won the U.S. Nationals in 1984 and also qualified at the U.S. Olympic Trials. However, she injured her knee while performing a routine and was forced to get an operation on her knee five weeks prior to the 1984 Summer Olympics.
Retton recovered just in time to be competitive and was able to perform. She primarily engaged in a close battle with Romanian Ecaterina Szabo for the all-around gold medal. Retton won the gold by .05 points and became the first female gymnast not from Eastern Europe to win the individual all-around gold. She also won two silver medals and two bronze medals at the same Olympics.
Retton continued her gymnastics career following the Olympics. She won the American Cup all-around competition in 1985 for a third time. She then decided to retire from gymnastics in 1986 at the age of 18. One of Retton’s signature moves on the uneven bars became known as “The Retton Flip” and consisted of a transition that involved perching on the high bar. In 1997, Retton was inducted into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame.
Mary Lou Retton’s Endorsement Deals and Political Involvement
Retton had numerous endorsement deals after her gymnastics career, including being featured on the front of a Wheaties box and becoming a spokesperson for Revco drugstores. She also publicly supported the Reagan administration, appearing in television ads and at a rally for his reelection campaign. Retton remained involved in conservative politics for many years, delivering the Pledge of Allegiance with fellow gymnast Kerri Strug at the 2004 Republican National Convention.
Cameo Appearances and “Dancing with the Stars”
Mary Lou Retton made cameo appearances as herself in a number of films and shows, including “Scrooged,” “Naked Gun 33+ 1/3: Final Insult,” “Knots Landing,” “Baywatch,” and a RadioShack commercial in 2014.
In 2018, Retton competed on the 27th season of “Dancing with the Stars” with professional dancer Sasha Farber. Unfortunately, she was eliminated in the sixth week, coming in ninth place.
Mary Lou Retton’s Personal Life
After retiring from gymnastics, Mary Lou Retton attended The University of Texas at Austin. She initially lived in Houston, Texas, until 2009 when she moved back to her home state of West Virginia. In 2012, she moved back to Houston and married real estate developer Shannon Kelley, who was previously the quarterback of the University of Texas. Together they had four daughters named Shayla, McKenna, Skyla, and Emma. Unfortunately, they divorced in 2018.
