August 7, 2007 - Mary Lou Retton’s 1984 Olympic all-around gold medal and Kerri Strug’s second vault landing in the team competition in 1996 were voted first and third, respectively, in USA Today’s list of the 25 most memorable Olympic moments.
1 Retton vaults to fame
Sixteen-year-old gymnast Mary Lou Retton entered the 1984 Olympics with no major international experience. She became the first American, woman or man, to win the all-around after earning perfect 10s for the floor exercise and vault. She catapulted to international fame by winning the All Around Gold Medal in women’s gymnastics, becoming the first American woman ever to win a gold medal in gymnastics. She also won silver medals for Team and Vault, and bronze medals for Uneven Bars and Floor Exercise. Her five medals were the most won by any athlete at the ‘84 Olympics. To this day she remains the only American ever to win the Olympic All Around Title.
3 Gritty Strug takes one for team
In the 1996 women’s gymnastics team competition at the Olympic Games in Atlanta, little-known Kerri Strug injured her left ankle on her first vault but gamely attempted a second. She captured America’s spirit by sticking the landing before collapsing in pain, helping to secure gold for the American team. It was a moment that landed Kerri on the front page of newspapers around the world and catapulted her into the spotlight.
Other women in the top 25 Olympic:
14 Blair skates into history
Speedskater Bonnie Blair defended her Olympic title at 1,000 meters in 1994, winning by the largest margin in event history (1.38 seconds) and becoming the first U.S. female Olympian, winter or summer, to win five gold medals. She also was the first American to win six Winter Olympic medals.
15 Hughes in a stunner
In fourth after the short program at the 2002 Olympics, 16-year-old Sarah Hughes upset favorites Michelle Kwan and Irina Slutskaya with a technically superior long program.
21 FloJo fastest in Seoul
Florence Griffith Joyner, a 200-meter specialist, previewed her Olympic surprise at the 1988 Olympic trials, running a world-record 10.49 seconds in the 100. Weeks later, she won 100 gold at the Seoul Games. She also won gold in the 200 and the 4×100 relay.
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