Throughout the history of the Olympics, the international competition has unfolded on the mats of the gymnastics event—and fans have loved every moment. From record-breaking Olympians like Simone Biles to fan-favorite gymnasts like Nastia Liukin, each Summer Olympics brings a new set of superstars to the forefront with an impressive amount of talent to match the hype.
And after the Olympic Games, the sky is the limit when it comes to what these women can accomplish. Many are still involved in gymnastics, whether they are coaching, opening their own gyms, commentating, or using their voices to spark change in a sport with a complex and often troubling history. Some have written books, started YouTube channels, or hit the motivational speaking circuit, keeping fans updated on their journey as it stands today. Others have pursued new careers altogether, in everything from politics to singing. And more than you think have tried their hand at ballroom dancing as competitors on Dancing With The Stars (and more than one has taken home that Mirrorball Trophy).
One thing is for sure: All 20 of these women have had truly legendary careers in the sport of gymnastics, with many Olympic medals, daring skills, and achievements outside of athletics to their name. Once you see what they’re all up to after leaving the gym floor, you’ll be oh so impressed.
So what happened to your favorite Olympians after the spotlight dimmed and competition wrapped? Here are all of our favorite gymnasts, then and now.
Shannon Miller was an accomplished gymnast before her time on the 1996 Olympic team, known as the Magnificent Seven. Miller made her mark at the 1992 Olympic Games, taking home five medals total, which at the time was the most medals earned by any Olympic athlete in any sport.
Miller has been inducted into the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame—twice!—and overall has seven Olympicmedals. While Miller has retired from gymnastics, she still appears as a commentator for the sport. The former Olympian is also a cancer survivor, author and advocate for women’s health and wellness initiatives.
When Kerri Strug first represented the United States at the 1992 Olympics, she was the team’s youngest athlete at just 14 years old. Four years later, she competed as one of the Magnificent Seven where she famously injured her ankle on the vault but carried on with her routine to win the United States the team gold medal.
After her 1996 Olympic appearance, Kerri Strug became one of the most popular athletes in America. Since retiring from the sport, Strug has worked in several government positions, most recently at the Department of Justice, and splits her time between Arizona and Washington D.C. In 2020, it was announced that the former Olympian’s biography was being adapted into a biopic film.
At just 17 years old, Olga Korbut dominated the podium with four medal wins at the 1972 Munich Olympics. The athlete who competed for the Soviet Union became one of the biggest names in gymnastics thanks to her artistic floor routines and daring stunts—like the Korbut Flip, which is now banned from competition.
After her Olympic career ended, Korbut moved to the United States. The former Soviet Union athlete currently lives in Scottsdale, Arizona where she works as a private gymnastics instructor.
Romanian gymnast Nadia Comaneci made Olympic history at the 1976 Montreal games. After a stellar performance on the uneven bars, Comaneci earned a perfect 10.00 from the judges. This was the first time a woman had been given a perfect score in Olympic competition.
Throughout her gymnastics career, Comaneci would go on to win a total of five gold Olympic medals. She retired from the sport in 1984 and became a United States citizen in 2001. She is married to former American gymnast Bart Connor and has authored several books.
Mary Lou Retton became a darling of American gymnastics after her performance at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. Her routines, two of which earned perfect scores, led her to become the first American woman to win an individual gold medal in gymnastics.
Shortly after her show-stopping performance at the 1984 Olympic Games, Mary Lou Retton retired. The former Olympian became a motivational speaker and was inducted into the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame in 1985. Most recently, Retton appeared on Dancing With The Stars.
Russian gymnast Svetlana Khorkina was one of the most talented athletes in the late ’90s and early 2000s. Due to her unusual height for the sport, Khorkina had to develop several of her own unique moves—but that didn’t stop her from taking home seven Olympic medals over three Olympic Games.
After retiring in 2004, Khorkina began a career with the Russian Gymnastics Federation before entering politics affiliated with the United Russia political party. In 2007, she was elected into Russian Parliament and served until 2011. Currently, she works as a television commentator in Russia and last made an Olympic appearance as a torch bearer at the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi, Russia.
If there was ever a darling of United States gymnastics, it was Nastia Liukin. The gymnast, whose father is former Olympic athlete Valeri Liukin, competed for the first time on the Olympic stage at the 2008 Summer Games in Beijing. It was there that she took home five Olympic medals, including the individual all-around gold medal.
Liukin officially retired from gymnastics in 2012 after not making the U.S. Olympic team for the Summer Games in London and has since founded the Nastia Liukin Cup, an elite competition in partnership with the USA Gymnastics program. In 2015, she placed fourth in competition while appearing on Dancing With The Stars. She’s also one of NBC’s gymnastics commentators for the Tokyo Games.
Shawn Johnson became one of the world’s most popular gymnasts after her debut at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. During the competition, the 4’11” athlete took home four Olympic medals—but it was her gregarious personality that won over the crowds.
Johnson built off of her Olympic popularity and in 2009 she won season eight of Dancing With The Stars. She trained for the 2012 Olympic Games, but a reconstructive knee surgery forced her into an early retirement. In 2016, she married NFL player Andrew East, and the couple regularly shares updates on their life via their YouTube channel.They welcomed daughter Drew Hazel in 2019 and their second child, a baby boy, in July 2021.
Dominique Moceanu competed in the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games on the Magnificent Seven and at just 14 years old, she became the youngest Olympic competitor to win a gold medal.
Shortly after her Olympic debut, Moceanu accused her parents of manipulation and violence and shocked the world when the then-16-year-old was emancipated. In 2012, she released her memoir, Off Balance, which highlighted the abuse she suffered throughout her gymnastics career. She has been a longtime advocate for reform in the sport, and was involved in the Senate passing the Protecting Young Victims from Sexual Abuse Act in 2017.
Gabby Douglas made her Olympic debut on the United States gymnastics team, known as the Fierce Five, at the 2012 London Games. It was here that she became the first African-American Olympic gymnast to become the individual all-around champion. Douglas continued her career at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, where she snagged her third gold medal.
After competing in the 2016 Olympic Games, Douglas took time off from the sport and did not contend for the 2020 Olympic Games. Instead, the Virginia Beach native is pursuing appearances in Hollywood and was crowned the champion of the new television series The Masked Dancer in 2021.
He Kexin won two gold medals at the Beijing Olympics, however an investigation into the Chinese gymnast’s age was the real headline grabber at the time. Kexin returned for competition in the 2012 Olympic games, winning a silver medal in the uneven bars.
After retiring in 2013, He Kexin attended Beijing Teachers College and is currently a sports teacher. Not only does she teach gymnastics, but her curriculum includes aerobics and yoga as well.
Carly Patterson competed in only one Olympics, however she made history in Athens in 2004. Patterson became the first American gymnast to win the all-around individual award (at a non-boycotted event) in 2004 and took home one gold medal and two silver medals.
After retiring in 2006, Carly Patterson rebranded to Carly Rae Patterson and launched a singing career. Her debut album, Back To The Beginning, was released in 2009. Since then, Patterson got married and is raising her children in Texas, where she still works in gymnastics coaching.
Dominique Dawes first competed in the Olympics in 1992. Four years later, she became the first African-American gymnast to win an individual event medal. Known in the gymnastics world as “Awesome Dawesome,” Dawes last competed in the Sydney Olympic Games in 2000.
After competing in three separate Olympic Games, Dawes retired from gymnastics and focused on her family and motivational speaking career. She has appeared on programs like Celebrity Family Feud and in Broadway’s revival of Grease. In 2021, Dawes announced she was opening her own gymnastics gym in Maryland. However, the facility is not focused on producing Olympians, but rather happy children.
After debuting at the London Olympics in 2012, Aly Raisman continued onto the 2016 Olympic Games, serving as the U.S. team captain both times. Between her two Olympic appearances, Raisman has a total of six medals.
Although many hoped Raisman would return to the mat for the 2020 Olympic Games, the former gymnast revealed she would not be competing in Tokyo. Recently, Raisman has used her voice to promote much-needed change in the sport, coming forward as one of the abuse survivors in the trial of former U.S. gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar.
Courtney Kupets achieved Olympic success winning two medals at the 2004 Athens Games. Although she was expected to compete in the 2008 Olympics, she retired due to injury in 2009.
Kupets traded a dazzling Olympic career for an acclaimed coaching career at the University of Georgia. The former gymnast is married and has three children.
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