1984 Men’s Gymnastics Team
With a stellar lineup, the 1984 U.S. Men’s Gymnastics Team became the first American squad to win an Olympic gold medal in 80 years.
From ancient Greece to the modern Olympic stage, gymnastics has evolved into one of the most captivating sports in the world. Modern gymnastics took shape in the early 1800s, thanks to Friedrich Ludwig Jahn, known as the “Father of Modern Gymnastics.”
By the mid-1800s, gymnastics clubs began forming in Germany and the United States, paving the way for organized competition. These early movements ultimately led to gymnastics being featured in the first modern Olympic Games in 1896 — a defining moment that set the stage for more than a century of Olympic excellence.
Gymnastics made its Olympic debut at the 1896 Athens Games for men and expanded to include women’s gymnastics at the Amsterdam 1928 Olympic Games.
Throughout the decades, the sport has given rise to unforgettable Olympic moments, from Nadia Comăneci’s perfect 10s to Kerri Strug’s one-legged vault and Simone Biles’ record-breaking 11-medal run.
There are three main types of gymnastics featured in the Summer Olympic Games, each with its own style, rules, and audience appeal: Artistic, Rhythmic, and Trampoline.
From historic champions to record-breaking icons, Team USA’s gymnasts have shaped the story of Olympic gymnastics and inspired generations — from perfect 10s to barrier-breaking firsts — defining Team USA gymnastics history on the world stage. Meet the Olympic legends whose talent and determination continue to raise the bar for athletes everywhere.
Miller is one of the most decorated gymnasts in the United States, with seven Olympic medals. She competed in the Olympics as a member of the 1996 U.S. women’s gymnastics team, known as the “Magnificent Seven,” that won the team gold medal. She was later inducted into the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame in 2006 for individual achievements and in 2008 for her team achievements.
Considered one of the greatest gymnasts of all time, Simone Biles is a 3-time Olympian and the most decorated gymnast in history with 11 Olympic medals. Her achievements span Rio 2016 (4 golds, 1 bronze), Tokyo 2020 (1 silver, 1 bronze), and at Paris 2024 Olympic Games, where she won gold in the team, individual all-around, and vault, and a silver in the floor exercise.
At the Los Angeles 1984 Olympic Games, Retton collected five Olympic medals— one gold, two silver, and two bronze — making her the most decorated American athlete of those Games. She also made history as the first American to win the individual all-around gold in gymnastics, thanks to scoring perfect 10s on the floor exercise and vault.
Dominique Dawes is a three-time Olympian and a legend in U.S. gymnastics, earning four Olympic medals—including gold in the team event. She made history as a member of the iconic 1996 U.S. women’s gymnastics team, the “Magnificent Seven,” by being the first African-American gymnast to win an individual Olympic medal.
Gabby Douglas is a two-time Olympian and three-time Olympic gold medalist, best known as the first African-American gymnast to win the Olympic all-around gold medal at the London 2012 Olympic Games. She also became the first U.S. women’s all-around champion to qualify for a second Olympic team.
Kerri Strug was a core member of the 1996 “Magnificent Seven,” the first U.S. women’s team to win Olympic gold. She famously secured the gold in the team final by performing her second vault on an injured ankle, a moment of raw courage that became one of the most iconic, unforgettable, and newsworthy feats of the Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games.
Bart Conner is a two-time Olympic gold medalist and one of the most accomplished male gymnasts in U.S. history. At the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games, he helped lead Team USA to its first men’s team gold in 80 years and earned an individual gold on parallel bars.
Mitch Gaylord made history at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games, where he won four medals — including gold in the team event, silver in vault, and bronze in rings and parallel bars. He was the first U.S. male gymnast to score a perfect 10 at the Olympics.
A steady leader and technical genius, Peter Vidmar captained the 1984 U.S. men’s gymnastics team to its historic team gold medal — the first ever for the country. He also captured individual gold on pommel horse and silver in the all-around.
Paul Hamm, one of the most decorated American gymnasts of his generation, made history once again as part of the 2024 U.S. Men’s Gymnastics Team at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. His leadership and skill helped propel Team USA to earn its first team medal in 16 years
While gymnastics is not an official sport in the Paralympic Games, para-gymnastics became an official discipline of the FIG at the 85th Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique (FIG) Congress. This is a crucial step towards the goal of seeing gymnastics included as a Paralympic sport at the 2032 Brisbane Paralympic Games.
Don’t just read the headlines—see the history up close. As you tour the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum, you can view portraits, biographies, and personal memorabilia from famous female gymnasts like Shannon Miller, including the most personal piece of her memorabilia – her famous scrunchy.
There are four phases of Olympic gymnastics competition:
The top eight highest-scoring teams qualify for team finals — for both men’s and women’s competitions — where they start fresh (scores reset) and compete for Olympic gold, silver, and bronze.
The top 24 individual gymnasts (12 women and 12 men) from the qualification round advance to compete in the all-around finals, with a maximum of two gymnasts per NOC.
With a stellar lineup, the 1984 U.S. Men’s Gymnastics Team became the first American squad to win an Olympic gold medal in 80 years.
Led by Kerri Strug and Shannon Miller, the Magnificent Seven became the first U.S. Women’s Gymnastics Team to win the team all-around gold medal in the Olympic Games.
Abie Grossfeld was a two-time Olympian, but his biggest impact was as a coach, including guiding the 1984 U.S. men’s gymnastics team to the team all-around title.
The most accomplished American male gymnast, Bart Conner starred at the Los Angeles 1984 Olympic Games as he led the U.S. to the team all-around gold medal and won a gold on the parallel bars.
Gabby Douglas made history at the London 2012 Olympics as the first Black woman to win the all-around gymnastics title and also the first American to win all-around and team golds during the same Games.
Mary Lou Retton scored perfect 10s on the floor exercise and vault to win the individual all-around gold medal at the Los Angeles 1984 Olympic Games.
Daughter of two acclaimed gymnasts forged her own career, winning the women’s individual all-around gold medal at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, where her five medals equaled the most ever in a single Olympics by an American female gymnast.
Peter Vidmar led the U.S. to the team all-around gold medal and scored a perfect 10 to win gold on the pommel horse in the Los Angeles 1984 Olympic Games; he won silver in the individual all-around.
Shannon Miller won five medals in the Barcelona 1992 Olympic Games and returned four years later to lead the United States to the team all-around gold medal at the Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games.
