What gymnast was named 1984 "Sports Illustrated" Sportswoman of the Year?

Mary Lou Retton was named Sports Illustrated’s 1984 Sportswoman of the Year. The honor followed her breakthrough performance at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, where she became the first American woman to win the Olympic individual all-around gymnastics title.

Retton’s victory was especially dramatic because she entered the final rotation trailing Romania’s Ecaterina Szabó. She earned two perfect 10s on the vault and floor exercise to finish just 0.05 points ahead in the all-around standings. At age 16, she became one of the most recognizable American athletes of the decade.

Her Olympic haul included one gold medal in the individual all-around, two silver medals, and two bronze medals. Her success helped make artistic gymnastics a major television attraction in the United States and earned her the nickname “America’s Sweetheart.”

Readers sometimes confuse Sports Illustrated’s award with the magazine’s broader “Sportsperson of the Year” honor. Retton received the Sportswoman of the Year award, which recognized the leading female athlete in the magazine’s 1984 awards listings.