After seeing the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro the last month we cannot stop wondering how these athletes live and train. We see them on television doing incredible things and breaking incredible records as if they were super humans. But how do they do it? How do they achieve such greatness?
On the other hand, we also saw many athletes that were coming to the end of their careers. Many athletes were cheered by the public but journalist couldn’t help to notice that they were in their last Olympic games and it may be the last time they had the opportunity to win their first gold medal or another one in their long list.
So, you also can not help to wonder, what happens to Michael Phelps when he actually retires? What will Usain Bolt do when his legs cannot take any more miles and cannot run professionally? Are they fit for the real world? We admire these athletes for the amount of training they get and how professional they are, but can they really hold a 9 to 5 job? Can they really be parents? Are they ready?
Well, Jason Hanold took the time to do a little research on the topic and found that there are some Olympic gold medallists that are actually having and amazing time after they retired and continue to be winners on other aspects of life.
Mary Lou Retton
She won Gold Medals in Gymnastics in the Los Angeles Games in 1984. At the moment she is a motivational speaker and a very important member of the Children’s Miracle Network. She is also the founder of Mary Lou’s Weigh and she travels around the world spreading the word on healthy weight loss for any individual and the importance of a balanced nutrition. She even has a strange method of using a reinvented bathroom scale that never shows the starting weight.
Edwin Moses
He was the winner of the Gold Medals in 400 Meters Hurdles in the 1976 Montreal Games and 1984 Los Angeles Games. This guy is the regular geek, the perfect student. After his medals, he went to earn a degree in physics and then went to work in a full-time job as an aerospace engineer. Not happy with that, he earned his master’s degree in business and then went to be part of the administrative area the executive chairman of Laureus, a London nonprofit foundation that helps coach and educates 1.5 million kids in 3rd world countries.
Greg Louganis
He won Gold Medals in Diving in the 1984 Los Angeles Games and 1988 Seoul Games. His story is a bit sad and of a struggling man. He was diagnosed with AIDS and retired in 1989 and announced his illness in the late 90s. He now works with the LGTBI community and is an active member and an outspoken advocate for HIV awareness and LGBT equality.
Carl Lewis
He won Gold Medals in 100 meters, 200 meters and Long Jump in the 1984 Los Angeles Games, 1988 Seoul Games, 1992 Barcelona Games and 1996 Atlanta Games. Two NBA teams wanted him, but he decided to become the spokesperson for the Hershey’s Track and Field Games.
Mark Spitz
He won Gold Medals in Swimming in the Olympic Games celebrated in 1968 in Mexico City and 1972 in Munich. He is the normal one of the list. He retired when he was 22 and went into show business with many television shows and commercials under his sleeve. He now is a regular father, husband and sometimes a motivational speaker.
Bruce Jenner
He won the Gold Medal in Decathlon in the year 1976 in the Montreal Games. It is easy to know where he is now as he is part of the reality TV show “Keeping Up With the Kardashians.” Jenner has also been a sportscaster and commentator for the Olympics Games and now has his own reality show.
Image courtesy of jla0379 at Flickr.com
Dick Fosbury
He won Gold Medal in High Jump at Mexico 1968. He is still part of the Olympics as he is an executive committee member of the World Olympians Association. He is the owner of the Dick Fosbury Track Camps where he trains young athletes to follow his steps in the sport.
Kerri Strug
She won Gold Medal in Gymnastics in Atlanta 1996. She works as a PR for USA Gymnastics, regularly attends events and also goes to the Games on behalf of sponsors.
Dominique Dawes
She won a Gold Medal in Gymnastics in the 1996 Atlanta Games. She went to work with the government when President Barack Obama gave her the responsibility of leading the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition. She is also on the Yahoo! News Weekend Edition.
Be sure to also check this article on NFL retired athletes and what they are doing now.
Jason Hanold 