1983 Tokyo Cup gymnastics Mary Lou Retton floor exercise

US gymnast Mary Lou Retton performs on floor exercise at the 1983 Tokyo Cup gymnastics competition. Double layout is her 2nd pass.

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Sports

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• gymnastics
• mary
• lou
• retton

[metsdudenj]

Mary Lou is a little sluggish here and looks a little heavier, by LA in 84 she was slim trim and had improved lines. Her floor was no worse than Kati's and she had better from in her tumbling , btw, yes Szabo had better splits and dance elements, but she was a sloppy tumbller especially with her cowboy double backs. So, I feel MLR totally deserved her Olympic gold medal. Remember the Soviets were the best in the world, agreed, but MLR could hold her own against them in vault and floor

[twilliger123]

might know someone named GoSveta would say something like that....you don't have to be anorexic looking to be appealing looking as a gymnast, she had an athletic body which is just as nice, at least we know she wasn't throwing up after every meal!

[metsdudenj]

@audie83 Olga was suspect to breaks in big competitions, she had one good one in 1983. She was not better on vault or floor than MLR....Mary Lou may not have won AA gold against the Soviets but would have for sure won medals on vault and floor.

[winkmd]

@cpandrs 4'9"

[bbhouk1]

0:50

well, at least we know she can do a split. i was getting worried.

[vontrappster]

she was fat

[bunnierabbits]

@metsdudenj the soviets didn't compete i the 84 olympics.

[mmoran3]

i wonder why she put the full in on the first pass but went for the double layout on the second pass.. the double layout is wayyyyy harder than a full in

[cpandrs]

How tall is she?

[dewilymob]

GOOD JOB!!

[audie83]

I prefer gymnasts with good carriage irregardless of their shape-and Retton didn't have good carriage because of a severe lack of ballet training versus the Soviet and Romanian gymnasts of the day. Karolyi himself mentioned in that Kati Szabo had 'better carriage' and looked more elegant than MLR due better basics.