Betty Okino facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Betty Okino
Full name	Elizabeth Anna Okino
Nickname(s)	Betty
Country represented	United States
Born	(1975-06-04) June 4, 1975 (age 50) Entebbe, Uganda
Discipline	Women's artistic gymnastics
Years on national team	1990-1992 (USA)
Club	Karolyi Gymnastics
Head coach(es)	Béla Károlyi
Eponymous skills	Okino (balance beam and uneven bars)
Retired	1992
Medal record Representing the  United States Olympic Games Bronze 1992 Barcelona Team World Championships Silver 1991 Indianapolis Team Silver 1992 Paris Uneven Bars Bronze 1991 Indianapolis Balance Beam

Elizabeth Anna Okino, born on June 4, 1975, is a retired American gymnast. She was part of the famous "Károlyi Six-Pack" team. In 1992, she helped the United States win its first Olympic team medal. This was in an Olympic Games where all countries participated. Betty Okino is also the first Black woman from any country to win many individual medals at the World Championships in gymnastics.

Betty Okino's Gymnastics Journey

Early Life and Training

Betty Okino was born in Entebbe, Uganda. She moved to the United States with her family. Betty started gymnastics when she was 9 years old. By 1988, just four years later, she was already competing at the elite level. She placed 17th at the junior U.S. National Championships that year.

In 1990, Betty moved to Houston. There, she trained with famous coaches Marta and Béla Károlyi. That same year, she placed second in the all-around competition. She also won the balance beam title at the 1990 U.S. Nationals.

International Success

Betty Okino represented the United States in several big international events. At the Goodwill Games, she won a silver medal with the American team. She also finished fourth in the all-around and on the uneven bars.

In 1991, Betty was part of the U.S. team for the World Gymnastics Championships. Her team won a silver medal. She also earned a bronze medal on the balance beam. Betty also won the 1991 American Cup.

The 1992 Olympics

Betty continued to do well in 1992. She won a silver medal on the uneven bars at the 1992 World Championships. However, she had serious injuries to her spine. These injuries made her miss the 1992 U.S. Nationals and Olympic Trials.

Even with her injuries, Betty was added to the U.S. team for the 1992 Olympics. This was after a special tryout for gymnastics officials. With Betty on the team, the U.S. won their first Olympic team medal. It was a bronze medal in a fully attended Games. Betty also made it to the balance beam event final. She placed 12th in the all-around competition.

Life After Gymnastics

Family Background

Betty's mother, Aurelia Matei, is from Romania. Her father, Francis Okino, is from Uganda. Her parents met when her father was studying in Bucharest. Betty is fluent in Romanian. This skill was very helpful in the gym and at international competitions. She could understand what coaches and Romanian gymnasts were saying. When the Karolyis found out Betty understood Romanian, they started speaking Hungarian in the gym.

Career in Show Business

After retiring from gymnastics in 1992, Betty Okino started a career in show business. She performed with SeaWorld. She also appeared in many television shows and films. Some of these include Moesha, The District, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Æon Flux, and Everybody Hates Chris.

Current Activities

Today, Betty lives with her husband in southern California. She teaches dance, choreography, and artistry. She is part of the USAG National Staff. Betty is also a popular motivational speaker. She owns and runs Betty O Choreo. This company provides gymnastics camps, clinics, and choreography around the world.

Gymnastics Skills Named After Betty Okino

Betty Okino has two special gymnastics skills named after her. These skills are listed in the Code of Points.

See also

In Spanish: Betty Okino para niños