Marcia Frederick

Marcia Frederick (born January 4, 1963, in Springfield, Massachusetts) is a retired American artistic gymnast who was the first American woman to win a gold medal at the World Gymnastics Championships.

Career Frederick began gymnastics at age 9; she sprained her ankle playing dodgeball and taught herself to walk on her hands instead. Afterward, she began taking classes. At age 12, she won the state championships and came to the attention of Muriel Grossfeld, who along with Don Peters ran a gym and dorm in Milford, Connecticut that Frederick moved to.

Despite an ankle injury that limited how much she could train, She performed a new move during her routine that was named after her. Her victory was a significant step for the rising American gymnastics program. Frederick said that she was furious about the news of the boycott, and her anger caused her to decide to end Carlson's abuse of her. She informed her parents and Grossman and reported Carlson, and she would later report him again in 2015 in the wake of the USA Gymnastics sex abuse scandal.

At the USGF International Invitational held in August 1980 in Hartford, Connecticut, for countries affected by the boycott, Frederick won the silver medal in the all-around competition, the gold on vault and bronze on uneven bars and balance beam; she debuted another new uneven bars move at the competition. Years later, she was one of 461 athletes to receive a Congressional Gold Medal.

In early 1981, she was in a serious car accident but was able to compete six weeks later. Afterward, however, she decided to finish her competitive career.

Personal life Frederick has worked as a gymnastics coach, personal trainer, and aerobics instructor. In 1984, she was a stunt double in Nadia, a television film about Nadia Comăneci. She has two children. Apparatus Name Description DifficultyUneven bars Frederick Stalder backward with 1/1 turn (360°) in handstand phase D (0.4)