1984: Mary Lou Retton Makes History Gymnast Mary Lou Retton needed impeccably high scores to pull ahead of her competitors during the final rotation of the all-around at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. Despite the odds, Retton delivered, receiving a perfect 10 on floor to become the first American gymnast to win Olympic all-around gold. She went on to win more medals at the 1984 Games than any other competitor. Image Source: Getty / David Madison