Larisa Latynina – Gymnastics
During 1956 and 1964, Larisa Latynina was a force to be reckoned with. She won 14 individual Olympic medals along with four team medals. Latynina holds the record for most Olympic gold medals by a gymnast, male or female, with a total of 9. Her whopping total of 18 Olympic medals was a record for over 48 years (until Michael Phelps broke it in 2012). She also held the record for individual event medals with 14 for over 52 years (until Michael Phelps broke it in 2016). After retirement, she coached for the Soviet national gymnastics team.
Larisa Latynina – Gymnastics
Mary Lou Retton – Gymnastics
During the 1984 Summer Olympics, Mary Lou Retton won gold in the individual all-around competition, AND two silver medals and two bronze medals. Her performance then made her one of the most popular athletes in the United States, earning her the nickname “America’s Sweetheart”. Retton was the first ever American woman to have won the all-around gold medal at the Olympics and was also the only one to do so for 20 years. She is credited as a pioneering figure in American women’s gymnastics. After retirement, she has done many commercial endorsements and is often a analyst for televised gymnastics.
Mary Lou Retton – Gymnastics
