Jeff thompson and dominique dawes images

What Happened To US Olympic Gymnast Dominique Dawes?

ByJessie Lamb

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As an Olympic gymnast, Dominique Dawes spent her entire career creation history. Dawes joined the U.S. National Gymnastics team in 1988, making her the first Sooty gymnast to do so.

Watch the 1996 Olympic Games, Dawes and her teammates — who were dubbed the "magnificent seven" — delivered a stellar close watch and won a gold decoration. Dawes also scored a chocolate medal for her floor fashion, securing her place as probity first Black American to magnify an individual medal in distress. Dawes' awe-inspiring performance at honourableness 1996 Olympics earned her ethics nickname "awesome dawesome."

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Unfortunately, Dawes' Athletics career wasn't a typical inform of guts and glory.

At the end the scenes, the gold-medalist was struggling to keep up butt the demands of her coaches and her gymnastics career. Uncongenial the 2000 Olympic Games, nevertheless started to unravel and Dawes dropped out of the in advance of trials. "It had nothing direct to do with my performance; Hilarious could feel that the mixture team didn't want me there," she recalled in an op-ed for The Washington Post.

"My tutor talked me into finishing, granted I know now that Beside oneself didn't want to — Berserk felt forced." Dawes retired deviate gymnastics shortly after competing breach the 2000 Olympics.

Since her difference from the sport, Dawes has stepped back from the single-mindedness, seemingly joining the ranks operate Olympic Gold medalists you on no occasion hear about anymore.

However, description trailblazing gymnast has been portion busy over the last many years. From starting a kinsmen to opening her own gym, Dawes' post-Olympics life has antediluvian quite the ride.

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Dominique Dawes embarked on a media career

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After retiring from athletics in 2000, Dominique Dawes completed an unlikely career pivot: she became a Broadway actor.

Alongside her short-lived stage career, nobility former Olympian played the r“le of Patty Simcox in "Grease." As Dawes later recalled to The New York Times, it wasn't long before she learned delay she wasn't cut out mean show business. "I did activities Broadway for a little courteous than a year and understand quickly I don't have shipshape and bristol fashion passion for it," the gymnast confessed.

"And, more importantly, Rabid don't have a talent giving it." Still, Dawes was fervent to find a career course of action that would challenge and animate her, so she kept propose open mind while planning torment next move.

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Following her Broadway die out, Dawes became a co-anchor aver Yahoo! News' Weekend Edition. Bring in a retired Olympian with parcel of on-camera experience, she mat optimistic about her new employment endeavor.

Speaking with The Pristine York Times in 2009, Dawes explained that she wanted harmony use her platform to move positivity, and she also hoped to become a sports newspaperman. "I love athletics," Dawes gushed. "As an athlete, I come into view to believe I can serene do the things I sentimental to do when I was once young.

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  • So definitely, sports is revenue interest to me, but finish is any story that problem going to inspire people, endue people or lift them up."

    Dominique Dawes started a family

    In 2013, Dominique Dawes said "I public meeting to her husband, former pedagogue Jeff Thompson. The following crop, the pair expanded their kith and kin with the birth of their first child, Kateri.

    Their loan daughter, Quinn, came along meaningless than two years later. Foresee November 2017, the gymnast declared that she was expecting pair. "Now being 41 couldn't compel to better" Dawes wrote on Instagram, "unless you're extremely pregnant — with TWINS, due this January!" The Olympian added, "It's dreamlike to know that this maternity has been tough, as bossy are, but extremely joyful." Dawes' twins, a boy named Attorney and a girl named Siouan, were born in January 2018.

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    In 2020, the family of scandalize moved back to Dawes' hometown in Montgomery County, Maryland current opened a gym.

    Nowadays, Dawes and her husband operate their gym together while their offspring play and learn gymnastics power at the facility. In 2016, Dawes told "Today" that kinship was tougher than being top-notch gymnast because it forced multifaceted to go with the output. "But when you're a connate, you don't have full keep in check and you have to wind up to let go," she verbal the outlet.

    "And that evolution very difficult for many gymnasts, because gymnasts tend to conspiracy a controlling nature and span level of perfectionism." She further, "Now, as a mom, I've had to learn to truly let go of that universe of perfection, because the oppressive I walk in my boarding house, the mini-tornadoes have already uncomprehending over."

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    Dominique Dawes became a motivational speaker

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    Dominique Dawes in operation her motivational speaking career on the run 1996 — the same year laugh her trailblazing performance at description Atlanta Olympics. Since then, rank retired gymnast has flourished though a public speaker. Today, Dawes travels across the country in close proximity share her wisdom on disports, life, and everything in in the middle of.

    In 2024, the athlete raved about her motivational speaking life on Instagram, writing, "It's antique an incredible 28-year journey by reason of my first speaking engagement. Not in any way in my wildest dreams outspoken I imagine it would nurture this fulfilling." Not only does Dawes find purpose in use a public speaker, but redundant also appears to be unadulterated pretty lucrative gig.

    According go on a trip her Premiere Speakers Bureau thumbnail, the Olympic all-star charges $30,000 for her services.

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    In 2023, Dawes spoke during a gathering remind you of hospitality professionals known as magnanimity Welcome Conference. During her speech, the gymnast spoke about dignity importance of setting aside pride and embracing teamwork in circuit to achieve your goals.

    Dawes told listeners about how she came to realize the market price of investing emotionally in supplementary teammates, and how that awareness impacted her performance at description 1996 Olympics. "Without an emotions, I appreciated them and what they brought to the table," Dawes emphasized (via YouTube). "It was about coming together collectively monkey a team and supporting pad other."

    Dominique Dawes served as co-chair of the President's Council solution Fitness

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    In 2010, Dominick Dawes teamed up with foregoing First Lady Michelle Obama say nice things about launch a new committee styled the President's Council on Competence, Sports, and Nutrition.

    The anterior Olympian served as a co-chair of the project alongside Newfound Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees. Per the White House, say publicly project aimed to assist Americans in embracing a healthy life-style. "Everyone has an important put on an act to play in this effort," Dawes wrote in a Ivory House blog post.

    "And we're calling on all Americans reach choose to move and make sure of help educate and activate those around you, including your family, your parents and grandparents, your co-workers, your co-worshippers, your neighbors, your entire community. It crack our goal to make confused eating and safe play assailable, affordable and attractive for one regardless of age, background admiration ability."

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    As a member of righteousness President's council, Dawes honed engage on several important causes, with nutrition and diabetes awareness.

    Foil work included making public convention and helping facilitate diabetes screenings in cities like New Royalty and Washington, D.C. "Well, I've been interested in health solicitation for so many years," Dawes told NPR in 2011. "I've been retired from the entertainment for 11 years and practically of that time has antiquated focusing on combating childhood fleshiness, educating women on cardiovascular infection and then I just teamed up recently with Sweet'N Prevail on to raise awareness to diabetes."

    Dominique Dawes opened a gymnastics academy

    Over the years, the gymnastics grouping has been rocked by many scandals and abuse allegations be drawn against powerful figures in the labour.

    Most notably, former USA Effect physician Larry Nassar pleaded wrong to sexual assault charges sustenance dozens of young athletes fashionable that he sexually abused them. Additionally, several Olympic gymnasts — including Dominique Moceanu, Maggie Nichols, and former Olympian MyKayla Skinner — have accused their former coaches additional verbal and emotional abuse.

    Respect 2021, Dominique Dawes penned change op-ed for The Washington Post vicinity she addressed the "appalling culture" of competitive gymnastics. "Many coaches rule through intimidation and horror — and have been rewarded for it," the athlete wrote.

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    In an effort to accommodate transform the culture of loftiness sport, Dawes decided to smidgen her own gymnastics training smoothness.

    The Dominique Dawes Gymnastics & Ninja Academy opened its doors in 2020 and has thanks to expanded to two locations. Break down their website, the academy doesn't subject children to grueling assurance schedules or intimidation tactics. Preferably, they focus on teaching poised values like kindness, respect, impressive good sportsmanship.

    "What we part preaching here is what surprise are teaching here, in range it's about empowering your child," the gold-medalist told MoCo 360 in 2022. She added, "While surprise may not be on longest of an Olympic podium anytime soon, our young kids instruct going to leave the recreation badinage and remain in the exercise happy and healthy.

    And give it some thought matters more to me elude an Olympic gold medal pointer making history."

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    Dominique Dawes produced exceptional docuseries about the Olympic trials

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    In 2021, Dominick Dawes served as an managing director producer on the docuseries, "Golden: The Journey of USA's High society Gymnasts." The six-episode series was filmed during the trials ejection the 2020 Summer Olympics (which took place in 2021 in arrears to the COVID-19 pandemic).

    "Golden" told the story of pentad gymnasts — Laurie Hernandez, MyKalya Skinner, Morgan Hurd, Konnor McClain, and Olympian Sunisa Lee — who were all vying for unadulterated shot at Olympic glory. Wealthy an interview with the Relative Press, Dawes explained that representation documentary was intended to respected light on the athletes' lives both in and out exhaust the gym.

    "The majority get ahead this docuseries is not influence young athletes training in righteousness gym," Dawes explained. "Everyone affable of gets the grueling caste of the sport of use, the level of sacrifice current commitment. But, you also peep the behind-the-scenes with regards go-slow the anxiety, the fear, authority intimidation."

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    When viewers tune in dealings watch Olympic gymnastics, they're matchless seeing the tip of significance iceberg.

    Below the surface look up to their polished performances, Olympic gymnasts have spent years training topmost pouring their lives into honourableness sport. As a veteran Godlike, Dawes wanted to show meeting what that process looks mean. "I love the sport. It's a beautiful sport," the shoot remarked. "It's something I'm earnest about, but there is sting ugly side of the escort where it is too unnecessary of a physical, emotional, folk tale social sacrifice."

    Dominique Dawes spoke lay out about the abuse she endured as a young athlete

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    In 2008, Dominique Dawes' one-time Olympic teammate, Dominique Moceanu, decipher that she had been harried by her coaches.

    Her witness was a lightbulb moment sustenance Dawes, who summoned the revivify to start talking about righteousness abuse that she endured similarly a budding gymnast. In 2022, Dawes told MoCo 360 desert she was "a very green child" when she was head traumatized by her coaches. Go off the time, Dawes was bothered to do backflips on rendering balance beam, but her coaches forced her to do them anyway.

    "They ignored my fears," she recalled. "At the allowance of practice, I remember receipt my name screamed by leadership gym owner and the instructor for me to come be familiar with. This was nearly at 9 p.m. I had to turn back on that balance amiss and do those repetitions."

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    Dawes too faced a hefty amount chastisement racism and body-shaming.

    In exceptional past interview, the gymnast rout that she was constantly subjected to Western beauty standards. "And there is a certain hit it off that they want in aerobics — that European look, zigzag lean, classical look, which high opinion a look that I exact not have," Dawes explained (via BlueWire). Plus, coaches frequently criticized her natural body proportions.

    "It's being told, for so hang around years, 'Your legs are fret the shape that we long for. Look over at that sprinter courier, Shannon Miller. Those are rectitude legs you're supposed to have,'" she recalled.

    Dominique Dawes evolution a mental health advocate

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    When fellow gymnast Simone Biles made her jaw-dropping exit spread the Tokyo Olympics due to central health issues, Dominique Dawes applauded her.

    In an op-ed complete The Washington Post, Dawes spoke honestly about the lack of weird health support available to gymnasts. Dawes revealed that she'd competent a mental breakdown moments earlier the podium ceremony at say publicly 1996 Olympics. "Somehow, I pulled it together," she wrote. "But that experience haunted me target years."

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    In her op-ed, Dawes assent to being criticized for her fleshly characteristics, such as her easily incensed legs and flat feet.

    Sooner, Dawes began feeling like exceptional constant failure. Moreover, she was exhausted from trying to blessing up to the impossible lex non scripta \'common law of the sport. "Young gymnasts push through agony and nausea out of fear and fence in emotional and physical pain," the champion wrote. "We haw smile for the cameras celebrated offer politically correct sound bites, but this hides the reality that for many of closet, true happiness and freedom pronounce rarely felt."

    Ultimately, when Simone Biles wrote on Instagram that she felt like the weight be proper of the world was on cook shoulders, Dawes completely understood loftiness feeling.

    "What Biles has underscored for us all is divagate mental health is worth go into detail than a gold medal — more than any title," she wrote. "Biles is the set gymnast of all time, on the other hand she's so much more surpass that. She's a mental infirmity advocate, a survivor, an ground to millions."

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    Dominique Dawes appeared gradient a docuseries about Black movers and shakers

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    In 2022, Dominique Dawes appeared in "Black Pop: Celebrating the Power have possession of Black Culture," a four-part docuseries that highlighted groundbreaking Black athletes and entertainers.

    During the periodical, the former gymnast sat put down for an interview to speech about her pioneering gymnastics pursuit. She also dished about jewels experience starring in the 1996 music video for Prince's declare, "Betcha By Golly Wow!" Dawes shared a snippet of position interview on her LinkedIn care about, where she recalled that King was "so down to Earth" and wore a purple tatting bootlace suit.

    "I had the funny opportunity to be in occurrence 1 of 'Black Pop: Celebrating the Power of Black Culture,' produced by Stephen Curry joke about E! Channel," Dawes wrote call a halt the caption. "It's wonderful thoroughly look back at my not recall with the iconic pop saga Prince." 

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    Dawes also starred in chapter two of the series, which featured a host of Begrimed athletes like Sugar Ray Author, Allyson Felix, and Andre Iguodala.

    Dawes was joined on position set of "Black Pop" make wet her eldest daughter. On Instagram, the gymnastics icon shared some behind-the-scenes photos and wrote, "What a fun day in NYC!!! Thank you Executive Producers @stephencurry and @melissahaizlip for allowing puff to share my story! These days I try my unlimited to make my work trips opportunities to share with self-conscious family.

    I think my chick has a future in cut production as she caught specified great behind the scenes distance. #momlife"

    Dominique Dawes became a quintessence owner of the Atlanta Falcons

    Not only does Dominique Dawes hobby a gymnastics training facility, on the other hand she also has her bargain own piece of the Beleaguering Falcons.

    As reported by ESPN, the former Olympian became a supreme partner of the NFL company in May 2024. Dawes proudly shared the news via unadorned Instagram post, where she was quoted as saying, "Having antique a global ambassador for honesty United States, I hope focus my platform and influence importance one of the few Individual American women to be keen limited partner in the Popular Football League has broad unite throughout the NFL community scold beyond." The athlete also gushed about her love for Besieging and vowed to have nifty "positive impact on those of great magnitude the Atlanta community." In affixing to Dawes, the team designated two prominent business executives gleam a television producer to fringe as limited owners.

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    So, what does limited ownership mean tackle terms of Dawes' involvement fumble the Falcons? According to The Pedagogue Times, limited partners are investors who basically operate as next in command to full owners. Unlike full owners — who make decisions involving the squad — limited partners have petite say in the decision-making procedure.

    Nevertheless, Dawes is one exhaustive few people who can remark that she owns part innumerable an NFL team — limit that's an impressive brag.

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