Gold Medal gymnast Mary Lou Retton made a stop in the Bay Area Tuesday, exactly 100 days before the Women’s Gymnastics Olympic Trials take place in San Jose.
Retton, who took home a gold medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics, was on hand for a San Jose City Council meeting early Tuesday, where she was awarded with a “Gymnastics City USA Declaration” certificate and plaque.
Then, she made a stop at Air Born Gymnastics Academy in Santa Clara, where she saw nine and 10-year-old’s developing skills on bars and beams.
Nola Matthews, 9, is already counting down the days till her idols will be in the Bay Area.
“I love seeing the gymnasts doing awesome stuff!” she said. Her favorite is Simone Biles, who is tipped to make it on the U.S. team.
Retton is predicting that her old team will take it all the way to the Gold, saying that she’s “blown away” by what she’s seen the young women accomplish.
“We’re going to reach a physical limit, and they don’t!” she said. “They keep getting better. I’m glad I’m out of it.”
Sports
Meanwhile, the young girls at Air Born are just starting to get in.
“I want to learn what they’re doing, maybe one day do what they’re doing at the Olympic trials,” Matthews said.
The trials will be held in early July.
