Dominique Dawes

By: Ms. K

Did you know that Dominique Dawes was the first African American women to win an individual Olympic medal in gymnastics?

Dominique Dawes was born November 20, 1976, in Silver Spring, Maryland. She started gymnastics at the tender age of 6. When she was 9 years old she wrote the world “Determination” in crayon on the mirror to prepare her for competitions. In 1988 she became the first to make the national women’s team. At the National Champions in 1994 she won all around gold for her individual events, that was not done since 1969.

In 1996 she made the U.S. Olympic team they got the nickname the ” Magnificent Seven” won gold in Atlanta becoming the first U.S. women’s gymnastics team to do so in Olympic history.

She took part in her last Olympics in 2000 in Sydney Australia. Where the U.S. was placed third wining a bronze. Dawes is the first gymnast to be a member of three separate medal-winning gymnastics team.

After Olympics Dawes has worked to encourage young people to be active, serving as president of the Woman’s Sport Foundation and part of Michelle Obama “Let’s Move Active School Campaign.”