Post-gymnastics Career
A devout Baptist and an ardent Christian conservative, she was an outspoken supporter of the Reagan Administration in the United States. She appeared in a variety of televised ads supporting ]. Retton delivered the Pledge of Allegiance with fellow former gymnast and 1996 Olympic gold medalist Kerri Strug on the second night of the 2004 Republican National Convention.
Retton's hometown of Fairmont, West Virginia named a road and park in the town after her. She retired from gymnastics after winning an unprecedented third American Cup title in 1985. She later had cameo appearances as herself in Scrooged and Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult.
During the 1990s, Retton worked as a spokeswoman for the U.S. drugstore chain Revco. Retton was elected to the National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame in 1992.
In 1993 the Associated Press released results of a sports study in which Retton was statistically tied for first place with fellow Olympian Dorothy Hamill as the most popular athlete in America.
In 1997, Retton was inducted into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame.
Retton has many commercial endorsements, including the first appearance by a female on the front a Wheaties box. She is a frequent analyst for televised gymnastics and attended The University of Texas at Austin after the Olympics.'
Read more about this topic: Mary Lou Retton
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