On this day in history, August 3, 1984, gymnast Mary Lou Retton wins Olympic gold

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Gymnast Mary Lou Retton vaulted her way into gymnastics legend on this day in history, Aug. 3, 1984. 

Retton, then just a 16-year-old high school sophomore, became the first American woman to win the gold medal in the Olympic all-around gymnastics competition. She received perfect 10s on both the floor and vault events, and scored a 9.850 on the balance beam and 9.800 on the uneven bars. 

Retton edged out silver medalist Ecaterina Szabo of Romania by 0.05 points, said the Olympics website. In addition to becoming the first American woman to win the all-around title, she was the first winner not from Eastern Europe. 

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Born in West Virginia, Retton was inspired by the success of Romanian gymnast Nadia Comaneci at the 1976 Olympics in Montreal, said the Olympics website.

Retton eventually would move to Houston to train with Comaneci's coaches, Bela and Marta Karolyi, after they defected to the U.S. and opened a gym. 

Mary Lou Retton (center) made history as the first non-Eastern European and the first American woman to win the individual all-around gold medal on this day in history, Aug. 3, 1984.  (Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images)

She experienced success at the American Cup, an international competition, but sat out the 1983 World Championships with an injury. 

Retton nearly missed the 1984 Olympics with a knee injury, said the United States Olympic & Paralympic Museum website. 

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She had surgery just