In the Olympics women compete in 5 different Olympic events.  They are the balance beam, the uneven parallel bars, the floor exercises, the vaulting horse, and rhythmic gymnastics.  Gymnastics from east  Europe usually wins, but in 1984 U.S. gymnast Mary Lou Retton changed all of that.

Men's competitions  include the vaulting horse, parallel bars, the high bars, and the hanging rings.  the hanging could be the hardest event for men's gymnastics.

Gymnastics have been a part of the Olympics since 1896.  Lately with technology you can see a great up close picture as the gymnasts at the Olympics.  This is one of the Olympics most popular sports.  Gymnasts work very hard for this opportunity.  It takes amazing strength to perform most of these tricks.

She changed the course of history.  Olga Korbot who endured herself-and the sport-and the world during the 1972 Olympic games.  They were in Munich, Germany.  She wasn't the best but she was the most memorable.  She was a last minute substitute on the soviet team.  She was 17 years old when she walked onto the floor, and she smiled and waved at her audience.  Most gymnasts don't show emotion but Olga did.

She even started to cry when she fell off the uneven bars.  about 15,000 people watched her cry and fell in love with her.  Although she preformed a thrilling back somer salut.  Bela kavolyi, the worlds most famous gymnastics coach said "Olga was the first gymnast to have exciting style."  Besides the difficult stunts s he gave the expression  of joy to the performer.

Olga Korbut won a gold in the all around medals in 1972.  Korbut also won a gold medal for her performance on the balance beam at the 1972 Olympics.

Nadia Comaneci at age 14 , who weight 86 pounds was in the 1976 Olympics.  She made Olympic history on the uneven bars.  She received the first ever 10.0 awarded in Olympic gymnastics.  One official said her stunts were so dangerous they should be banned.

Nadia got numerous 10.0 and gold medals.  Dave Anderson of the New York Times wrote of Nadia, "on the uneven bars, she whirls as easily as a sparrow fluttering from limb to limb on a tree.

		At 13 on her way to becoming the only women gymnast to win the European all-around championship 3 times in a row.  In the 1976 Olympics Nadia was the toast of everyone. She and her teammates were awarded high Romanian  honors never awarded before.
	Mary Lou Retton was born on January 24, 1968.  She was the youngest of 5 children.  She said she was one of those hyper kids, always jumping up and down on the couch, and breaking things.  Her mother nick named her "the Great Table Smasher and Lamp Toppler."
		She was