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Dominique Helena Moceanu (born September 30, 1981 in Hollywood, California)
is an American gymnast of Romanian descent who was a member of the Olympic
Gold medal winning 1996 U.S. Women's Gymnastics team in Atlanta (the "Magnificent
7").
The hallmarks of Moceanu's gymnastics, in the early stage of her elite
career, were clean execution, daring tricks on balance beam, and spunky,
inspired presentation on floor exercise. In the latter part of her elite
career, under the direction of new coaches, she developed a more elegant,
mature style.
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Although she was never considered to be an overwhelmingly innovative gymnast,
she did display a high level of difficulty in her gymnastics, particuarly on
beam and floor.
Dominique was one of the last gymnasts to be trained by the legendary
Romanian coaches Bela and Marta Karolyi in Houston Texas. Although she began
her gymnastics career at LeFleur's in Florida, by the time she was twelve
she was one of Karolyi's stars. Under Karolyi's tutelage she became the US
Junior National Champion in 1994. In 1995 she repeated her success as a
senior, becoming the youngest gymnast ever to win the US Championships. She
was the youngest member of the American team at the 1995 World Championships
in Sabae, Japan. Dominque did not disappoint, earning the highest American
placement in the all-around competition and becoming the only American
gymnast to win an individual medal, a silver on the balance beam.
Dominique was expected by many to be a major medal threat at the 1996
Olympics. However, following the 1996 US Nationals, where she placed third
in the all-around, she was diagnosed with a stress fracture in her right
tibia. Her injury forced her to sit out of the Olympic Trials, but she was
petitioned onto the team on the strength of her Nationals scores.
At the Olympics, Dominique contributed heavily to the team gold medal,
turning in such strong performances that she qualified for the event finals
on balance beam and floor exercise. However, she faltered in the last
rotation of team finals, falling on both of her vaults. She only advanced to
the all-around finals as a replacement for injured teammate Kerri Strug.
Small mistakes cost her a medal, but she still placed a respectable ninth.
In event finals, Dominique suffered a terrible fall on the balance beam but
came in fourth on floor, just missing a medal.
Following the Atlanta Olympics, Dominique participated in numerous tours and
professional gymnastics exhibitions before returning to competition. With
the retirement of the Karolyis, she went through several coaching changes
before finally settling down at Mary Lee Tracy's CGA gym in 1999.
Dominique participated in the 1997 World Championships in Lausanne,
Switzerland, leading a new and mostly inexperienced US team. She was elected
team captain, but the competition was not a positive experience for her. By
1998 she had returned to top form, becoming the first and only American to
win the all-around title at the Goodwill Games. She qualified to the 2000
Olympic Trials, but was forced to withdraw with a knee injury. After a five-year
hiatus from elite gymnastics, Dominique announced a return to competition in
2005. However, injury kept her from competing in the '05 Nationals. She
intends to make a 2006 comeback and plans to compete difficult skills on the
floor and vault.
Profile:
2000 US Championships: 9th AA
1998 Goodwill Games: 1st AA
1998 US Championships: 3rd AA; 1st BB; 1st VT
1997 World Championships: 6th Team; 14th AA
1997 US Championships: 9th AA
1997 International Team Championships: 2nd Team; 17th (two events only)
1996 Olympic Games, Atlanta USA: 1st Team; 9th AA; 4th FX; 6th BB
1996 US Championships: 3rd AA
1995 World Championships, Sabae JPN: 3rd Team; 5th AA; 2nd BB; 7th FX
1995 US Championships: 1st AA; 2nd FX; 3rd VT; 5th BB; 6th UB
1995 US Classic: 2nd AA
1994 US Championships: 1st AA (junior)
1993 US Championships: 7th AA (junior)
1993 US Classic: 8th AA (junior)
1993 US Olympic Festival: 12th AA
1992 Pan American Games: 1st Team; 2nd AA (youth)
1992 US Championships: 5th AA (junior)
1992 US Classic: 10th AA (junior)
1991 US Classic: 7th AA (junior) |
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DOMINIQUE MOCEANU PICTURES |
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