Catch Cathy Rigby as she speaks at venues around the country in 2013!

Cathy Rigby is an actress, speaker, and former gymnast. Born in San Diego, California in 1952, Cathy began showing an aptitude for gymnastics and soon began her training toward becoming a world class gymnast. Cathy’s years of training paid off when she was featured prominently in the 1968 Olympics. She was the highest scoring member of the participating American team, and her performance, seen by millions on television, help spark a new wave of popularity for gymnastics across the U.S..

Perhaps Cathy’s greatest accomplishment as a gymnast occurred when she won a medal at the World Gymnastics Championships, the first American woman to do so. She did this in 1970, winning a silver medal for her performance on the balance beam. Rigby was also in the 1972 Olympics, but her performance was obstructed by an injury caused from practicing a very risky balance beam maneuver. Her injuries from the accident kept her from performing the move during the Olympics, and subsequently did not win a medal. After the 1972 Olympics, Cathy retired from gymnastics competitions and began an acting career, taking on the role of Peter Pan.

Rigby, who is very shy, found herself nervous and scared, but found out she was a very good actress capable of performing Peter Pan very well. She also discovered she enjoyed acting, which was a bit of a shock for someone who didn’t like to be the center of attention.

All through the 1970s, Cathy got roles performing on television shows and commercials, and accepting sponsorship deals for products. She also worked as a sports commentator for ABC Sports, a role she held for 18 years, and made several made for TV movies.

In the 1980’s, Rigby began her career as a speaker, publicly talking about the dangers of eating disorders, and her own experiences dealing with them. In fact, she was twice hospitalized, and nearly died, during her 12 years of suffering with bulimia.

Cathy will again be sharing her experiences with audiences in 2013, and you should pick up tickets now for an interesting and informative evening with the former gymnast.