Cathy Rigby
Cathy Rigby was one of the United States' first popular and successful female gymnasts. Born in Southern California, Rigby participated in the 1968 Olympic Games and was the highest-scoring U.S. gymnast. Although she did not win a medal, her charisma, charm and gracefulness made her very popular and helped create interest in the sport in the U.S. She was U.S. National Champion in 1970 and 1972, and won a silver medal on the balance beam at the 1970 World Championships, becoming the first American woman to win a medal in World Gymnastics. She competed on the 1972 U.S. Olympic Gymnastics Team, but was hampered by injury. After retiring from gymnastics in 1972, she began an acting career and was a television commentator for ABC Sports. The above video shows her silver medal-winning performance on beam at the 1970 World Championships.
