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The Most Famous Olympic Champions of All Time – Where are They Today?

Matt Biondi, 55

Matt Biondi is well known as a former competition swimmer and an 11-time Olympic medalist whose record came close to beat Mark Spitz for many gold medals. He won a total of eleven  medals in his Summer Olympic games during 1984, 1988 and 1992. Biondi has set the three individual world records in the 50-meter freestyle and in the 100-meter freestyle.

Biondi has also been inducted as a member in the International Swimming Hall of Fame and the United States Olympic Hall of Fame. After retirement, he worked as a school teacher and swimming coach in Hawaii. Biondi teaches math and gives coaching to the local swim team in Chatsworth.

Shawn Johnson, 29

Shawn Johnson was in gymnastics from the age of three. She is best known as the Olympic balance gold medalist and team all-around and as a floor exercise silver medalist in 2008. Shawn also won a gold medal on the women’s balance team and three silver for the women’s gymnastics team.

In 2012, Shawn announced her retirement from gymnastics due to her knee surgery. Besides her professional career, she is also indulged in various charity works. Additionally, she is also an author and entrepreneur. Shawn married football player Andrew East in 2016, and in 2019, the couple welcomed their first daughter in the world.

 Kristi Yamaguchi, 49

Kristi Yamaguchi is a former figure skater. She won the Olympic championship in 1992; besides, she is also a two-time World champion and the 1992 United States Champion of figure skating. Yamaguchi also established a Foundation for children to provide funds for after-school programs, computers, and clothes for underprivileged children.

Apart from this, she is an author, philanthropist, and founder of the Always Dream Foundation. In 2009, Yamaguchi won the sixth season of the reality TV show named Dancing with the Stars. Additionally, Yamaguchi also appears occasionally as a figure skating analyst on NBC during the Olympics. She married hockey player Bret Hedican and has two daughters Keara and Emma.

Alicia Sacramone, 33

Alicia Sacramone is a retired American gymnastic, well known as the second-most decorated American gymnast in the record of world championships with 10 medals. Alicia started her training in gymnastics when she was eight years old. In the 2008 summer Olympics in Beijing, she competed at the age of 20 and became part of the U.S Olympic women’s team.

Besides, she also worked as a designer for the men’s fashion company named Tank Farm in 2009. Sacramone married the former NFL quarterback Brady Quin in 2014. Now, she is a mother of three adorable daughters, and they are happily living in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Larisa Latynina, 86

At the age of 21, Latynina made her Olympic debut in 1956 at the Melbourne Olympic Games.

She is an Olympian for life and the only woman in gymnastics who has won an all-around medal in more than two Olympiads. Additionally, Latynina won an individual event (floor exercise) in more than two Olympiads. She was the world record holder for 18 gold medals in the Olympics.

In 1966, Latynina retired and became a coach of the Soviet Union’s Women’s Gymnastics team. Under her training, the Soviet women won the gold medal in the Olympics in 1968, 1972 and 1976. At present, Latynina, the pride of the former Soviet Union, lives in Russia.

Matt Biondi, 55

Matt Biondi is well known as a former competition swimmer and an 11-time Olympic medalist whose record came close to beat Mark Spitz for many gold medals. He won a total of eleven  medals in his Summer Olympic games during 1984, 1988 and 1992. Biondi has set the three individual world records in the 50-meter freestyle and in the 100-meter freestyle.

Biondi has also been inducted as a member in the International Swimming Hall of Fame and the United States Olympic Hall of Fame. After retirement, he worked as a school teacher and swimming coach in Hawaii. Biondi teaches math and gives coaching to the local swim team in Chatsworth.

Mia Hamm, 49

Mia Hemm was an unconventional soccer player during her Olympian years. She became a two-time Olympic gold medalist and a FIFA Women’s World Cup champion. Mia also called a soccer icon of her time. Besides, she was the face of the Women’s United Soccer Association (WUSA), who was also named FIFA’s Female World Player of the year twice.

Mia has been inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame, the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame, the Texas Sports Hall of Fame, and the World Football Hall of Fame. She retired at the age of 32 and published two national bestsellers books. At present Mia is a special ambassador for FC Barcelona.

McKayla Maroney, 25

McKayla Maroney is a retired American artistic gymnast. Before getting retired, she was a member of American women’s gymnastics team named the Fierce Five. In the span of her gymnast career, she won a gold medal in the 2012 Summer Olympics and a silver medal in the vault event.

Further in the 2011 World Championships, Maroney again won gold and silver medals. With an impressive career in gymnastics, she is currently seen on screen. Maroney starred in the TV series Hart of Dixie and Baby, Don’t Get Hooked on Me. And now, she is also stepping into the music industry and releases her first single, Wake Up Call.

Rulon Gardner, 49

Rulon Gardner is an American retired wrestler. He competed at the 2000 Olympics and won a gold medal. Later, he also won a gold medal in the 2004 Olympics against Aleksandr Karelin from Russia in the final round. In the 2012 Olympics, Gardner tried to make a comeback but could not make the weight limit for the USA Olympic Trials.

However, Gardner is living a quiet life now and sells insurance at the age of 40+. On the other hand, he has a second job as a wrestling coach in Salt Lake City area high school that keeps him busy.

Apolo Ohno, 38

Apolo Ohno, born on May 22, 1982, is an American retired short-track speed skating. He is an eight-time medalist with two gold, two silver, and four bronze in the Winter Olympics. Ohno was into the US Olympic Hall of Fame in 2019. He started winning in the 2002 winter Olympics, and since then, Ohno has won almost every competition. Additionally, at the age of 14 in 1999, he became the youngest reigning champion.

Ohno also won a reality TV show, Dancing with Stars. Later he was the TV host of Minute To Win It (2013-14 season) and now a successful entrepreneur.

Dick Fosbury, 74

Dick Fosbury is an American retired high jumper and considered an influential athlete in track and field history. He even created his own jump, known as Fosbury Flop, as he jumped with the back first technique. Today all the high jumpers now opt for the technique. Besides this, Fosbury is also a gold winner at the 1968 Olympics.

After having a successful career in sports, Fosbury stepped into politics. He ran for Blaine County Commissioner against Larry Schien in 2018. Fosbury won the seat and took office in January 2019. Besides, He also continues to be in athletics roles and serves on the executive board of the World Olympians Association.

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