Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. In the late 1970s and early '80s, most people would recognize the U.S. star Kathy Johnson, winner of World and Olympic medals on floor and balance beam. What teammate of Kathy's actually took home a gold medal on uneven bars at the 1978 World Championships?
2. Mary Lou Retton was the headliner of the 1984 Olympic team, winning the first-ever All Around (AA) gold medal by a U.S. woman. Mary Lou went on to pick up a few other medals at those games on vault, bars and floor. However, another U.S. teammate picked up the only other gold medal won by the group. Who was that teammate?
3. In the late 1980s, the U.S. gymnastics world was abuzz over "the next Mary Lou", also known as Phoebe Mills. Phoebe had the goods but only managed to win one medal at the 1988 Olympics, a bronze on beam (a tie with Gabriela Potorac of Romania). The following year, one of Phoebe's Olympic teammates won a silver medal on vault at 1989 Worlds and became a star. Who was she?
4. It wasn't until 1991 that a U.S. woman returned to the top of the All Around podium at an Olympic or World level event. The star of the U.S. team was the extraordinary Kim Zmeskal who won the gold in the All Around and a bronze on floor. Two other women won medals outside of the team competition. One was Shannon Miller's bronze medal on bars. Who was the other?
5. In 1992, Kim Zmeskal was again expected to bring home some hardware during the Olympic games. However, it wasn't meant to be (although she did help the team to a bronze medal as a team). Instead, one of her teammates stole the show and brought home the most medals. Who was it?
6. Everyone remembers the 1996 Olympic games in Atlanta, GA, with its raucous crowd cheering the American women on to their first team gold medal. Shannon Miller headlined the team winning the gold medal on beam. Two other Americans medaled during the event finals. The first would be Dominique Dawes' bronze on floor and the other would be?
7. The mid-to-late 1990s was a dark period in U.S. gymnastics with the team unfocused and inconsistent. Coming off the high of the 1996 Olympic Games, the team had a lot of talent but it never really pulled together. It wasn't until 2001 that the ladies scraped by with a bronze medal. The sole carryover from the 2000 Olympic team, Tasha Schwikert was the leader of the group. However, it was which gymnast that won the only other medal, a bronze on bars?
8. After the 2000 Olympic Games, the U.S. team national coordinator shifted control from husband Bela Karolyi, to wife. Marta Karolyi took over and made some changes turning the U.S. from "club oriented" to "team oriented" with a national training center in Texas (at the Karolyi's ranch). National team members attend a "camp" at the ranch once a month to be gauged by the national staff. This fostered a team spirit and has drastically improved the U.S. women's medal hauls. The 2002 World team was a team of total unknowns, but together, they won how many medals?
9. 2003 brought the World championships to California and the next generation "star" was Carly Patterson. Carly won the silver medal in the All Around and assisted the women's team to the first-ever U.S. gold medal at a World's event. A duo of teammates won the only other medals tying for gold on bars. One was future world AA champion Chellsie Memmel. Who was the other?
10. After her performance in 2003, Carly Patterson was a really big deal. Recognized worldwide, she was the favorite for the All Around at the 2004 Olympic games. Her talent paid off and she won the Olympic gold in the All Around and a silver on balance beam. She wasn't the only medalist with the U.S. team as Annia Hatch won the silver on vault and Courtney Kupets won the bronze on bars. Another medal was won on bars. Who won it?
Source: Author
TemptressToo
This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor
Nightmare before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.
