Olympic gymnast and representative of life on Earth
An image of Cathy Rigby was chosen to travel on a NASA space probe to teach aliens about the human body. But as she became a star athlete she was battling an eating disorder.
Cathy Rigby popularised gymnastics in the US, gracing the covers of magazines after her performances at the 1968 and 1972 Olympics. She became the first American woman to win a medal at the 1970 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships. She excelled even though she was battling with eating disorders that she would only conquer years later when she switched tumbling through the air as a gymnast for a Broadway role as the flying, free-spirited, Peter Pan. But where her legacy will live on longest is in space. Her image was selected to travel on a Voyager space probe to show other life forms the human body.
During this interview, Cathy speaks frankly about her battle with eating disorders. If you need support following anything you've heard in this episode there鈥檚 information at bbc.com/action line
Get in touch: outlook@bbc.com
Presenter: Mobeen Azhar
Producer: Patrick Kiteley
(Photo: Stroboscopic image of Cathy Rigby on the balance beam. Credit: Phillip Leonian, from the Leonian Charitable Trust)
Last on
Broadcasts
- Sat 21 Oct 2023 10:32GMT大象传媒 World Service West and Central Africa
- Sat 21 Oct 2023 18:32GMT大象传媒 World Service Europe and the Middle East
- Sat 21 Oct 2023 23:32GMT大象传媒 World Service East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa only
- Sun 22 Oct 2023 08:32GMT大象传媒 World Service except Europe and the Middle East & West and Central Africa
- Sun 22 Oct 2023 22:32GMT大象传媒 World Service except East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa & 大象传媒 Afghan Radio
- Mon 23 Oct 2023 02:32GMT大象传媒 World Service Europe and the Middle East
Contact Outlook
Info on how we might use your contribution on air
Podcast: Lives Less Ordinary
Step into someone else鈥檚 life and expect the unexpected