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.
Although introduced in the 1896 Olympic Games, gymnastics competitions were not standardized until the 1928 Olympics. Women also began competing in the sport during the 1928 Olympics. Olympic gymnastics are grouped into three different divisions.
Artistic gymnastics events for men include floor exercise, pommel horse, rings, vault, parallel bars, horizonal bar and combined (individual and team). Women’s artistic events include floor exercise, vault, uneven bars, balance beam and combined (individual and team).
Rhythmic gymnastics became an Olympic sport practiced only by women in 1984. Rhythmic gymnastics events include rope, hoop, ball, clubs and ribbon with awards based on team, group, all-around and individual competitions.
Trampoline gymnastics was first introduced at the 2000 Olympic Games as both a men’s and women’s event (individual only).
Shannon Miller is one of the most decorated gymnasts in the United States with a total of seven Olympic medals. She was inducted into the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame in 2006 for individual achievements and in 2008 for team achievements.
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.
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.
