'Dancing With the Stars' 2017: Why Mary Lou Retton Really Wants To Compete [VIDEO]
Mary Lou Retton is interested in doing Dancing With the Stars at some point in the future.
Retton is remembered as one of the most popular U.S. athletes to compete in the Olympics, with her star-making turn being the 1984 ceremonies. The gymnast earned the all-around gold medal, becoming the first American female to do so, and won a pair of silver medals and bronze medals the same year.
Now, the 49-year-old is retired but she would love to come back and show her athletic ability again. Retton spoke with AOL.com recently and revealed that she wants to compete on Dancing With the Stars.
"I'd love to! Are you kidding me? Represent the old group!" she said, when asked if she'd ever compete on DWTS. "I'm a big fan of the show. I've actually been asked, [but] with my schedule, I just couldn't do it. If the timing is right, I would love to do it. Especially if there's a gymnast on, of course we all support our family of gymnasts."
Olympic gymnasts have traditionally done very well on Dancing With the Stars, as the world just saw with Laurie Hernandez's victory this past fall. Shawn Johnson competed in the show's eighth season and wound up winning as well. Olympians from other fields have won the show in the past, including speed skater Apollo Anton Ohno, figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi and ice dancer Meryl Davis.
As far as picking a pro to dance with, Retton doesn't care but assumes she would be partnered with a smaller one.
"I'm assuming they're going to put me with one of the smaller ones, one of the shorter ones. I'm not picky!" she said.
Either way, Retton is right in the typical Dancing With the Stars casting demographic. She is a well-liked Olympic star who was popular in the '80s and who we haven't seen on the national stage in a while.
Dancing With the Stars season 24 premieres Monday, March 20 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC.
