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PHOEBE MILLS
Phoebe Mills (born November 2, 1972 in Northfield, Illinois, U.S.) is an American attorney and athlete
who has been active in the sports of artistic gymnastics, diving, speed skating and snowboarding. She is a 2004 graduate
of Vermont Law School with a degree in environmental law.
Mills was coached by Marta and Béla Károlyi in Houston, Texas. She attended her first U.S. Nationals in 1984,
finishing eighth in the junior division. While Mills was sometimes overshadowed in the media by her teammate
Kristie Phillips, she developed a reputation as a steady, consistent competitor
in national and international meets, placing third at the 1985 City of Popes competition and second at the 1986 Olympic
Festival and U.S. Nationals (junior division). In 1987 she attended her first and only World Gymnastics Championships as
a member of the sixth-place American team.
1988 was Mills' breakout year. She won every meet she entered, including the U.S. Nationals, the American Cup, the Mardi
Gras Invitational and the International Mixed Pairs, was named the United States Olympic Committee's Gymnast of the Year
and was nominated for the prestigious James E. Sullivan Award. She also placed first at the U.S. Olympic Trials, easily
earning a spot on the American squad for the 1988 Olympics in Seoul.
Mills emerged as the U.S. team's most successful gymnast at the Olympics. While she finished a modest fifteenth place
in the all-around, she also qualified for three event finals, more than any other member of the team. She performed a solid,
artistic routine to win a bronze medal on the balance beam, behind Daniela Silivas,
and Elena Shushunova. With her third-place finish, Mills became the first
American female gymnast to win a medal in a fully-attended Olympics, and the only American gymnast, male or female,
to medal in Seoul.
Mills continued to compete in early 1989, but retired later that year. She has occasionally returned to the sport as a
coach. In 2000, Mills was inducted into the USA Gymnastics Hall of Fame.
After retiring from gymnastics, Mills became involved with competitive diving, specializing in the 10-meter platform
event. She excelled in the sport enough to join the diving team at the University of Miami in Florida, where she won the
Big East Conference for three years. She also competed in national diving events, participating in the 1993 Olympic
estival and the U.S. Diving Championships. Mills retired from diving after graduation.
Most recently, Mills has been involved with the sport of snowboarding. She has acted as a snowboarding coach and
instructor, working with the U.S. junior national team. Mills currently serves as the Vice President of USASA, the
United States Snowboarding Association.
For more information, visit her
profile page on the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique website.
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