DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: In our "CNN 20" segment, a look back at Mary Lou Retton's perfect 10 at the 1984 Olympics.</s>INGA HAMMOND, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: No U.S. woman had ever won a medal in any kind of gymnastics. And when Mary Lou Retton broke through, I think every little girl in America all of a sudden wanted to perform in gymnastics. When she landed that perfect 10, and the smile just electrified the country, and almost, she was our symbol. She was almost our American flag at that time, during the Olympics. I think because no American woman had ever done so well, it was surprising at that point when she came along and did that because we had been used to seeing the communist-block countries taking all the Olympic gold medals in gymnastics. So this was the first time we had an American to really look up to and to follow. She was a great role model in every way possible. And wonderful personality, remember she was on every talk show in America and on the cover of the Wheaties box. She was everywhere. And when people hear Mary Lou Retton, they think instantly the giant smile and the great pep and personality. It came down to the final event, the vault for the all-around competition, and she needed a 9.95 to win the all around. And that is when she did the vault and came out with the perfect 10. And the funny thing is, there are two vaults that you can do at the end. She did the one, the perfect 10, and she could have just stepped aside, and won the gold medal there. But she decided to do the second vault even though she didn't need it, and she also got a perfect 10 on that.
CNN 20: Mary Lou Retton Scores Perfect 10, August 3, 1984