Friday, August 15, 2008
THE ENTERTAINMENT WRAP-UP
THE ENTERTAINMENT WRAP-UP BLOG
An Olympic special edition of the Wrap Up for you today. I’ve got a Wrap Up Q&A with 1996 Olympic Gold Medalist, Dominique Moceanu. Dominque was a part of the Magnificent Seven gold medal women’s gymnastics team in 1996. That team was incredible to watch and captured the attention of the country and the world with their gold medal winning night in Atlanta. I'll never forget the fun of that night in cheering on The Magnificent Seven. They definitely made America proud with their great accomplishment. I thought it would be fun to get Dominique’s thoughts on the current Olympics and also look back at her career. Dominique has always been my favorite gymnast so this was definitely a lot of fun!!
The country was so wrapped up with the incredible gold medal performance of you and the Magnificent Seven. The crowd that night for the team competition was so incredible as well cheering all of you on. What are some of your memories of that special night in Atlanta?
"Winning the Olympic Team Gold medal in front of my home country was the ultimate dream come true. My memories of the 33,000 audience members at the Georgia Dome cheering and chanting “U.S.A., U.S.A” is something that will be etched in my mind forever. Another sentimental moment was when I received my gold medal with my teammates and watched the United States flag be raised for the first and only time in the Women’s Team Final competition. The entire crowd sang our National Anthem and I felt an immense amount of pride to be wearing the red, white, and blue. Becoming an Olympic Champion changed my life and has enriched me in so many ways. I’m thankful to have been able to represent my country and make America proud!"
You and the team were all over the place following the Olympics with media appearances and also including being featured on one of the Olympics Wheaties boxes.. What was the frenzy like that followed the Olympics?
"My post-Olympics life was the most chaotic time in my life. I was pulled in so many directions. I traveled the country doing a 100 city post-Olympic tour. I felt like a rock star for a while living in and out of suitcases, meeting the President of the United States, and reaching out to my fans all over the nation, and performing the sport I loved. All of this happened before I even got my driver’s license!"
I don’t know if people really get the appreciation of just how much work goes into training. What was your daily training like going into the Olympics?
"Before the Olympics I trained seven to eight hours a day and six days a week. It was a full time job and every part of me stayed devoted and disciplined to my training regiment inside and outside of the gym."
Gymnastics is obviously a very physical sport but it can be a very mental type sport too. How is it comparing the two aspects of gymnastics?
"The mental aspect of the sport is extremely important, because if one cannot handle the pressure that comes along with being an Olympic level athlete than it makes things much more difficult to perform. I’ve always believed that the mental aspect of the sport is much harder than the physical. Yes, at times my body was run down and exhausted, but if my mind couldn’t pull it together I wouldn’t have been able to get through practice. No matter how much talent one has, one has to be equally, if not stronger, mentally to handle gymnastics at its highest levels."
Your floor exercise performances were always so fun and upbeat. What goes into putting those together including picking out the music?
"Most of the time my coaches gave me a few options of music and then I decided which one I liked the most. As I got older, I had more say into the music of my floor routines and choreography. It’s extremely important to have a good combination of both. A gymnast must feel comfortable with both the music and choreography to perform her best in competition. A lot of preparation to perfect this combination takes place in practices."
I got to attend one of the shows from the Tour Of World Gymnastics Champions in 1997. It is still one of the most fun events that I’ve ever been to. What was the experience of that like to reunite with everyone and get out on the road for the tour?
"The post Olympic gymnastics tours have some of the best memories in my gymnastics career because there was no pressure of the judges scoring my routines! It was all about performing and meeting fans and this is what I loved most. I will always be a competitor and thrive on this aspect of the sport, but after the most pressure packed competition of one’s life-- the Olympics--I needed a break and the tours allowed for that relaxed environment."
Do you have any funny road story to tell about traveling with everyone during the tour?
"We loved to play pranks on one another on tour, and once someone had a bright idea that it would be funny to switch the music of my floor routine during a live performance. I was a trooper and although lost at first, I completed my routine and made up things as I went. I was thankful when that experience was over!"
You made a comeback in 2000 which unfortunately didn’t result in an Olympic appearance due to injury. What happened that caused the injury?
"I believe overtraining caused my injury. I pushed my body to its limits and my coaches didn’t see that my body needed the rest in order to have longevity. Of course this happens often in gymnastics, but at the Olympic Trials in 2000, it was just a case of “the wrong place at the wrong time” injury which led me to two surgeries; a knee and shoulder."
The Magnificent Seven got a huge honor recently when you were all inducted into the U.S. Olympic Hall Of Fame. You even won out over the 1992 Olympic basketball Dream Team with the fan vote to get inducted. How was that experience?
"What an amazing highlight in my life. My teammates and I were so honored for this wonderful achievement and next to the Olympic Gold Medal this is one of the highest honors -- an Olympic athlete can achieve so it was extremely memorable to be in the class of 2008 with an eclectic group of Olympians."
Moving on to the current Beijing Olympics. Nastia Liukin and Shawn Johnson finish with gold and silver in the individual all around. The women end up with silver in the team competition and the men end up with a bronze. What are your overall thoughts on the happenings in Beijing?
"Overall, I’m proud of our athletes. Given the circumstances and injuries they’ve had to endure our Women’s Team really should be proud because they WON the silver medal and how many people can say that they’re second in the best at anything in the world? They made America proud and with Nastia and Shawn winning the gold and silver in the All-Around final is like the icing on the cake. It was a fantastic competition to see them battle it out!"
A lot of talk has been made about the age of the current Chinese Olympic gold medal winning team. I wanted to get your thoughts of how you think age might factor into such a high profile event such as gymnastics since you were the youngest on the 1996 team. Did your younger age affect you at all with the pressure of the Olympics or did you find it easier being younger than the others?
"Is there a chance that the ages of the Women’s Chinese Gymnastics Team were falsified? Yes. Has the Chinese Gymnastics Association provided all of the proper documentation to prove and verify their ages? Yes. The international Olympic Committee already stated before the Women’s Gymnastics competition began that this was a closed subject and there would be no further investigation on it, but Bela and Marta Karolyi continue to show poor sportsmanship in the host country of the Games by strongly accusing the Chinese of cheating in an extremely undiplomatic fashion. It’s no secret that the Asian gymnast’s have always been among the smallest and lightest of the competitors in gymnastics. This is nothing new and in the Western world, we see our fifteen turning sixteen year olds as much more developed, but I can assure you that when I competed at the Olympic Games I looked like a ten year old too. Although I was the youngest on my team at the Olympics, I felt the pressure just like everyone else and I could handle it. I might’ve felt the pressure more in some ways because we were in our home country and the Olympic Gold was within our reach and it had always been a personal goal of mine."
What advice would you give to the current group of gymnasts including the pressure that is likely to be on them especially with Nastia and Shawn getting so much attention with their medal wins?
"Just enjoy the ride, it’s a hectic one but exciting one at the same time, and will often times leave you drained. You won’t trade it for the world though so take it all in and make the most of your experiences by really enjoying every great opportunity that you get! You’re about to go on the journey of your life!"
I’ve read that you’ve moved on to a new career in your life and that is being a wife and mom. How is that going so far and what else have you been up to in recent years?
"Being a mother is the most rewarding job in the world! The birth of my daughter was the most magical day, not only because she was born, but because she came on Christmas Day. She has changed my life for the better and has enriched my life in so many ways. Besides being a mother and wife, which takes up most of my time, I am still heavily involved on the gymnastics scene. I teach private lessons, coach, teach clinics and do choreography across the country for gymnasts. I am also finishing up my business degree and will be the first one in my family to graduate from college in the Spring of 2009 and I can’t wait!"
What would you like to say to all the fans that have followed your career and cheered you on for all these years?
"Without my fans, I wouldn’t be where I am today. I’ve always credited my fans for being the “best in the world”. I have such a large following and will be grateful to them always for the support and love they’ve given me. Thank you for your words of encouragement and belief in me and my career. You don’t know how many times it picked me up when I was going through tough times!"
A huge thank you to Dominique for taking the time to answer the questions for the Wrap Up Q&A!! For more info on Dominique including blogs, schedule of appearances, photos, video, merchandise, and more, head over to her official website at: http://www.dominique-moceanu.com/ It is a great website so definitely check it out!! Take care and God bless!!
THE ENTERTAINMENT WRAP-UP BLOG
An Olympic special edition of the Wrap Up for you today. I’ve got a Wrap Up Q&A with 1996 Olympic Gold Medalist, Dominique Moceanu. Dominque was a part of the Magnificent Seven gold medal women’s gymnastics team in 1996. That team was incredible to watch and captured the attention of the country and the world with their gold medal winning night in Atlanta. I'll never forget the fun of that night in cheering on The Magnificent Seven. They definitely made America proud with their great accomplishment. I thought it would be fun to get Dominique’s thoughts on the current Olympics and also look back at her career. Dominique has always been my favorite gymnast so this was definitely a lot of fun!!
The country was so wrapped up with the incredible gold medal performance of you and the Magnificent Seven. The crowd that night for the team competition was so incredible as well cheering all of you on. What are some of your memories of that special night in Atlanta?
"Winning the Olympic Team Gold medal in front of my home country was the ultimate dream come true. My memories of the 33,000 audience members at the Georgia Dome cheering and chanting “U.S.A., U.S.A” is something that will be etched in my mind forever. Another sentimental moment was when I received my gold medal with my teammates and watched the United States flag be raised for the first and only time in the Women’s Team Final competition. The entire crowd sang our National Anthem and I felt an immense amount of pride to be wearing the red, white, and blue. Becoming an Olympic Champion changed my life and has enriched me in so many ways. I’m thankful to have been able to represent my country and make America proud!"
You and the team were all over the place following the Olympics with media appearances and also including being featured on one of the Olympics Wheaties boxes.. What was the frenzy like that followed the Olympics?
"My post-Olympics life was the most chaotic time in my life. I was pulled in so many directions. I traveled the country doing a 100 city post-Olympic tour. I felt like a rock star for a while living in and out of suitcases, meeting the President of the United States, and reaching out to my fans all over the nation, and performing the sport I loved. All of this happened before I even got my driver’s license!"
I don’t know if people really get the appreciation of just how much work goes into training. What was your daily training like going into the Olympics?
"Before the Olympics I trained seven to eight hours a day and six days a week. It was a full time job and every part of me stayed devoted and disciplined to my training regiment inside and outside of the gym."
Gymnastics is obviously a very physical sport but it can be a very mental type sport too. How is it comparing the two aspects of gymnastics?
"The mental aspect of the sport is extremely important, because if one cannot handle the pressure that comes along with being an Olympic level athlete than it makes things much more difficult to perform. I’ve always believed that the mental aspect of the sport is much harder than the physical. Yes, at times my body was run down and exhausted, but if my mind couldn’t pull it together I wouldn’t have been able to get through practice. No matter how much talent one has, one has to be equally, if not stronger, mentally to handle gymnastics at its highest levels."
Your floor exercise performances were always so fun and upbeat. What goes into putting those together including picking out the music?
"Most of the time my coaches gave me a few options of music and then I decided which one I liked the most. As I got older, I had more say into the music of my floor routines and choreography. It’s extremely important to have a good combination of both. A gymnast must feel comfortable with both the music and choreography to perform her best in competition. A lot of preparation to perfect this combination takes place in practices."
I got to attend one of the shows from the Tour Of World Gymnastics Champions in 1997. It is still one of the most fun events that I’ve ever been to. What was the experience of that like to reunite with everyone and get out on the road for the tour?
"The post Olympic gymnastics tours have some of the best memories in my gymnastics career because there was no pressure of the judges scoring my routines! It was all about performing and meeting fans and this is what I loved most. I will always be a competitor and thrive on this aspect of the sport, but after the most pressure packed competition of one’s life-- the Olympics--I needed a break and the tours allowed for that relaxed environment."
Do you have any funny road story to tell about traveling with everyone during the tour?
"We loved to play pranks on one another on tour, and once someone had a bright idea that it would be funny to switch the music of my floor routine during a live performance. I was a trooper and although lost at first, I completed my routine and made up things as I went. I was thankful when that experience was over!"
You made a comeback in 2000 which unfortunately didn’t result in an Olympic appearance due to injury. What happened that caused the injury?
"I believe overtraining caused my injury. I pushed my body to its limits and my coaches didn’t see that my body needed the rest in order to have longevity. Of course this happens often in gymnastics, but at the Olympic Trials in 2000, it was just a case of “the wrong place at the wrong time” injury which led me to two surgeries; a knee and shoulder."
The Magnificent Seven got a huge honor recently when you were all inducted into the U.S. Olympic Hall Of Fame. You even won out over the 1992 Olympic basketball Dream Team with the fan vote to get inducted. How was that experience?
"What an amazing highlight in my life. My teammates and I were so honored for this wonderful achievement and next to the Olympic Gold Medal this is one of the highest honors -- an Olympic athlete can achieve so it was extremely memorable to be in the class of 2008 with an eclectic group of Olympians."
Moving on to the current Beijing Olympics. Nastia Liukin and Shawn Johnson finish with gold and silver in the individual all around. The women end up with silver in the team competition and the men end up with a bronze. What are your overall thoughts on the happenings in Beijing?
"Overall, I’m proud of our athletes. Given the circumstances and injuries they’ve had to endure our Women’s Team really should be proud because they WON the silver medal and how many people can say that they’re second in the best at anything in the world? They made America proud and with Nastia and Shawn winning the gold and silver in the All-Around final is like the icing on the cake. It was a fantastic competition to see them battle it out!"
A lot of talk has been made about the age of the current Chinese Olympic gold medal winning team. I wanted to get your thoughts of how you think age might factor into such a high profile event such as gymnastics since you were the youngest on the 1996 team. Did your younger age affect you at all with the pressure of the Olympics or did you find it easier being younger than the others?
"Is there a chance that the ages of the Women’s Chinese Gymnastics Team were falsified? Yes. Has the Chinese Gymnastics Association provided all of the proper documentation to prove and verify their ages? Yes. The international Olympic Committee already stated before the Women’s Gymnastics competition began that this was a closed subject and there would be no further investigation on it, but Bela and Marta Karolyi continue to show poor sportsmanship in the host country of the Games by strongly accusing the Chinese of cheating in an extremely undiplomatic fashion. It’s no secret that the Asian gymnast’s have always been among the smallest and lightest of the competitors in gymnastics. This is nothing new and in the Western world, we see our fifteen turning sixteen year olds as much more developed, but I can assure you that when I competed at the Olympic Games I looked like a ten year old too. Although I was the youngest on my team at the Olympics, I felt the pressure just like everyone else and I could handle it. I might’ve felt the pressure more in some ways because we were in our home country and the Olympic Gold was within our reach and it had always been a personal goal of mine."
What advice would you give to the current group of gymnasts including the pressure that is likely to be on them especially with Nastia and Shawn getting so much attention with their medal wins?
"Just enjoy the ride, it’s a hectic one but exciting one at the same time, and will often times leave you drained. You won’t trade it for the world though so take it all in and make the most of your experiences by really enjoying every great opportunity that you get! You’re about to go on the journey of your life!"
I’ve read that you’ve moved on to a new career in your life and that is being a wife and mom. How is that going so far and what else have you been up to in recent years?
"Being a mother is the most rewarding job in the world! The birth of my daughter was the most magical day, not only because she was born, but because she came on Christmas Day. She has changed my life for the better and has enriched my life in so many ways. Besides being a mother and wife, which takes up most of my time, I am still heavily involved on the gymnastics scene. I teach private lessons, coach, teach clinics and do choreography across the country for gymnasts. I am also finishing up my business degree and will be the first one in my family to graduate from college in the Spring of 2009 and I can’t wait!"
What would you like to say to all the fans that have followed your career and cheered you on for all these years?
"Without my fans, I wouldn’t be where I am today. I’ve always credited my fans for being the “best in the world”. I have such a large following and will be grateful to them always for the support and love they’ve given me. Thank you for your words of encouragement and belief in me and my career. You don’t know how many times it picked me up when I was going through tough times!"
A huge thank you to Dominique for taking the time to answer the questions for the Wrap Up Q&A!! For more info on Dominique including blogs, schedule of appearances, photos, video, merchandise, and more, head over to her official website at: http://www.dominique-moceanu.com/ It is a great website so definitely check it out!! Take care and God bless!!
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
TALKING WITH DOMINIQUE MOCEANU (ABOUT.COM)
Dominique Moceanu was only 14 when she was part of the women’s team that won Olympic gold in 1996. Now married to former Ohio State gymnast Mike Canales, she gave birth to her first child, Carmen, on Christmas day of 2007.
Still a huge fan favorite, Moceanu has received a lot of press recently because of her comments about the current Olympic selection process. Here's what she had to say about the controversy, and more on what Moceanu, now 26, is up to nowadays.
What do you think of the women’s Olympic team?
The team itself was the right team selected and the girls all deserve very much to be on the team.
You’ve been outspoken about the selection process that chose the team. Could you talk about that a little?
I feel that Martha Karolyi should step down. The Karolyis' nearly 100 percent control needs to come to an end. USA Gymnastics is run very mysteriously, and a lot of gymnasts have been threatened to not speak out, and if they do, there are repercussions and backlash. Yes, I am receiving a little bit of heat for what I've said, but I'm receiving much more support through e-mails and calls and people saying, Thank God that you're speaking out and that somebody is speaking the truth.
I think that we forget that this is the individual coaches like Valeri Liukin and Liang Chow, Peter Zhao and Mihai Brestyan… that they're the principle reason for the success of team USA, not the Karolyi system.
I'm not against the training camps that the women's team has. I think camps are a positive area where the gymnasts get together and see what everyone is doing, bond, form a relationship, and increase camaraderie. I think that's fantastic. But I think that it can be done in a healthier way where someone isn't running a dictatorship and treating people poorly because she's got all the power.
I'm happy with my accomplishments; people are taking some things out of context. I have nothing to be bitter about and I don't have sour grapes. I do believe that the truth has to come out because the Karolyis have worn out their welcome.
I was part of the system in 2000 and 2006. I was there at the camps and witnessed the way people were treated. When you're at the top, Martha Karolyi loves you and treats you a little more kindly, but as soon as you have an injury or something she forgets about you and she moves on.
I think this system is why we're seeing less and less senior elites. A lot of them don't want to be at that level with that kind of treatment and brutality, and they lose the love of the sport. We should not let that happen. We should have girls with healthy experiences that love the sport. And I think that's not the case.
We need a more transparent set of rules. In what other sport do you see the Olympic team selected at someone's backyard with a selected-only audience and selected-only media? Why not pick the Olympic team in front of the 13,000 pumped fans that were in Philadelphia at the Trials? The girls deserve that. I know the girls at one point asked [USA Gymnastics President] Steve Penny to please announce the team, and he said no, Martha doesn't want that. Why does she have so much power?
Do you think the selection process contributes to more injuries?
I don't have that proof, but yes I do think so. When I was at a training camp I witnessed an injury right there. Amanda Castillo had an acute injury on vault, and my husband [a podiatric surgeon] helped diagnose the injury. There was no doctor on staff; nobody there to help her with this injury.
My husband was thinking, "Thank God I was there to help her out." There was a trainer, but the trainer pretty much does whatever Martha Karolyi wants. They don't always look out for the athletes' best interest. And not that doctors can do everything immediately, on the spot, but I think it's another set of eyes to be there.
Once you get to those camps, everyone has to push their girls harder than they would push them at home, to impress Martha. There have been so many injuries at camp that I think are related to this. Obviously, I can't prove it, but I wish we had a database of injuries in place, to help us see what we can to do prevent them, and I wish we had a doctor on staff. I find it so hard to believe that there aren't these two things.
An HBO Real Sports segment last night included an interview with you. How did you feel about the way it turned out?
I felt that the final quote on the HBO show was taken out of context. I said I would put my daughter in gymnastics, but when it came to the elite scene, if she made it there, we would go for the college route. I think it's a healthier route, and that gymnasts have much better experiences in college. They made it seem as though I wouldn't put my daughter in the sport.
In the recent press, I'm very disappointed in what Kim Zmeskal has said. She's had beef with me since I called her out for being an unethical athlete representative two years ago. It's a shame that she can't think for herself. I remember when they abused her too. She was crying on my shoulder when Bela called her fat, put her on the scale, and made her run outside wearing a sweatsuit in the dead heat of summer. That happened in the very gym that the 2008 Olympic selection team camp happened. If she thinks that that's okay -- that that's fair treatment -- that's one thing, but I guarantee 99 percent of people wouldn't think that that's okay behavior.
In general, I think some of my quotes have been taken out of context recently so I'm trying to make sure that I'm clear. I love this sport. Why else would I go against the grain? This is a tough battle. I feel like my old [Olympic] teammates are throwing me under the bus because they don't want to say anything. Most of them didn't train with the Karolyis one on one. I spent most of my younger childhood years from 1992 to 1996 with them, and I know what they're like.
I understand that not everyone had that experience. I reached the Olympic level and am so proud that I represented my country. I'm certainly not against hard work. My goodness I know about sacrifices. I'm the first to say, Yes you need discipline, yes you need to work hard. I encourage that in all the athletes I coach. But at the same time, the poor treatment of athletes can't be justified.
Can you elaborate on some of the abusive training methods you experienced?
I can name a few of them just to scratch the surface. One time, Martha grabbed me by the back of the neck when I collapsed in the gym because of a tibial stress fracture. They didn't believe me for so long, and I was limping, and I collapsed twice before they even realized that I needed help. The second time, she grabbed me and shoved me over to the phone. She told me to call my parents because maybe I should go to a doctor.
In another case, Bela put me on the scale in front of the entire team at the 1995 World Championships. He berated me and belittled me in front of everyone. That kind of treatment is unnecessary. I was 70 pounds!
Would you like to get involved in USA Gymnastics to try to change these aspects of the sport?
That's still to be debated right now. I don't know if I want a position there. I'd love to be involved, but they've never wanted me to be involved. I'd have to be careful with what I get involved in after being so outspoken.
If it became a fair system and was something that was more ethical and something I believed in, then of course, I would love to be a part of that change. USA Gymnastics does not need Bela and Martha Karolyi anymore. The sport will survive, and the success will continue because of these excellent personal coaches.
Do you have similar concerns about the men’s selection process?
I think the men's selection is very similar now to the women's. David Sender -- the 2008 National Champion -- was overlooked; Sean Golden -- with amazing performances -- was overlooked; Raj Bhavsar is devastated right now because he was kept off the team again. How do you justify keeping Raj off the team when you say you've crunched the numbers? Can you show us how you crunched the numbers? What kind of hidden system is being used? What has to be so secretive here?
The athletes know they have to do a good job, but it's difficult because there is this gray area where there is subjective criteria that isn't disclosed. In 1996 we knew we had to be in the top seven, and if you made that you were on the team. It was based on your performance. And we were able to win the Olympics that year.
There should be a rule that explains how specialists are treated and how they can get their chance: they have to win their event or be in the top three -- something like that. I'm not against selection camps 100 percent, I just think that there's a more fair way to do it, and a way to be more respectful to the athletes.
Who are your medal picks for Beijing?
If everyone hits -- which would be a complete miracle -- but if it happens, mathematically, China will win the women's team gold. They have about a 1.7 gain in A score. But not everyone hits. You just never know who will win. I want our team to succeed, of course! I think the USA team is very strong -- as strong as the 1996 Olympic team was -- but you never know until you prove it there.
In the all-around I think Shawn Johnson is the heavy favorite. Shawn and Nastia Liukin could go 1-2. If they let Chellsie Memmel compete all-around on the first day, and she qualifies, who knows? Chellsie could win the whole thing too!
I think Shawn's start values are higher and she's been so solid, that she has a lot going for her too.
What’s it like to be a new mom?
I love it. It's been so rewarding and it's such a different aspect of life: changing diapers, and watching her go through her phases of growing. It's such an exciting time for me.
Are you still in business management school?
Yes. I have nine classes, then I graduate and I'll have my business management degree. Starting up a business might be something I'm interested in. Right now I'm not sure if that's the route I want to go. I have to see with Carmen growing and if we have another child soon. I want to be a stay-at-home mom for awhile, and we'd like to have two or three kids eventually. We'll just see how it goes.
I'm also working on a children's book series for gymnastics right now, and working with some charities on a few projects.
Are you coaching gymnastics?
I haven't been in the gym for awhile because after I delivered Carmen I really wanted to be a great mom. I may go back though.
You ended up getting a legal separation from your father Dumitru when you were age 17. How is your relationship with him now?
I have a very good relationship with him now. My Dad has changed in the last five years. He's been more mellow and he respects me a lot more. The cancer has mellowed him some.
He has a very rare cancer of the lacrimal glands. He had a tumor removed several years ago, and he's been through treatments and radiation. We've been told it's terminal at this point. So we're just making things easier for him and letting him do what he needs to do to feel comfortable. It's tough and it's part of life, and all we can do is support him right now.
How is the rest of your family?
My mother [Camelia] and I have always had a fantastic relationship and if anything, we've gotten closer in my 20s and since I've become a mother. She's always been the rock of our family.
My sister Christina is doing well. She's in college with a volleyball scholarship at Wharton County Junior College. She's all grown up!
What advice would you give the 2008 Olympians?
I would tell them to enjoy every minute of it, because it happens so quickly and it can be so overwhelming. Be proud to represent your country, and don't let anyone take away from that experience. Try to really enjoy it even though it can be difficult at times. No matter what happens, know that you deserve to be there even if you mess up.
Dominique Moceanu was only 14 when she was part of the women’s team that won Olympic gold in 1996. Now married to former Ohio State gymnast Mike Canales, she gave birth to her first child, Carmen, on Christmas day of 2007.
Still a huge fan favorite, Moceanu has received a lot of press recently because of her comments about the current Olympic selection process. Here's what she had to say about the controversy, and more on what Moceanu, now 26, is up to nowadays.
What do you think of the women’s Olympic team?
The team itself was the right team selected and the girls all deserve very much to be on the team.
You’ve been outspoken about the selection process that chose the team. Could you talk about that a little?
I feel that Martha Karolyi should step down. The Karolyis' nearly 100 percent control needs to come to an end. USA Gymnastics is run very mysteriously, and a lot of gymnasts have been threatened to not speak out, and if they do, there are repercussions and backlash. Yes, I am receiving a little bit of heat for what I've said, but I'm receiving much more support through e-mails and calls and people saying, Thank God that you're speaking out and that somebody is speaking the truth.
I think that we forget that this is the individual coaches like Valeri Liukin and Liang Chow, Peter Zhao and Mihai Brestyan… that they're the principle reason for the success of team USA, not the Karolyi system.
I'm not against the training camps that the women's team has. I think camps are a positive area where the gymnasts get together and see what everyone is doing, bond, form a relationship, and increase camaraderie. I think that's fantastic. But I think that it can be done in a healthier way where someone isn't running a dictatorship and treating people poorly because she's got all the power.
I'm happy with my accomplishments; people are taking some things out of context. I have nothing to be bitter about and I don't have sour grapes. I do believe that the truth has to come out because the Karolyis have worn out their welcome.
I was part of the system in 2000 and 2006. I was there at the camps and witnessed the way people were treated. When you're at the top, Martha Karolyi loves you and treats you a little more kindly, but as soon as you have an injury or something she forgets about you and she moves on.
I think this system is why we're seeing less and less senior elites. A lot of them don't want to be at that level with that kind of treatment and brutality, and they lose the love of the sport. We should not let that happen. We should have girls with healthy experiences that love the sport. And I think that's not the case.
We need a more transparent set of rules. In what other sport do you see the Olympic team selected at someone's backyard with a selected-only audience and selected-only media? Why not pick the Olympic team in front of the 13,000 pumped fans that were in Philadelphia at the Trials? The girls deserve that. I know the girls at one point asked [USA Gymnastics President] Steve Penny to please announce the team, and he said no, Martha doesn't want that. Why does she have so much power?
Do you think the selection process contributes to more injuries?
I don't have that proof, but yes I do think so. When I was at a training camp I witnessed an injury right there. Amanda Castillo had an acute injury on vault, and my husband [a podiatric surgeon] helped diagnose the injury. There was no doctor on staff; nobody there to help her with this injury.
My husband was thinking, "Thank God I was there to help her out." There was a trainer, but the trainer pretty much does whatever Martha Karolyi wants. They don't always look out for the athletes' best interest. And not that doctors can do everything immediately, on the spot, but I think it's another set of eyes to be there.
Once you get to those camps, everyone has to push their girls harder than they would push them at home, to impress Martha. There have been so many injuries at camp that I think are related to this. Obviously, I can't prove it, but I wish we had a database of injuries in place, to help us see what we can to do prevent them, and I wish we had a doctor on staff. I find it so hard to believe that there aren't these two things.
An HBO Real Sports segment last night included an interview with you. How did you feel about the way it turned out?
I felt that the final quote on the HBO show was taken out of context. I said I would put my daughter in gymnastics, but when it came to the elite scene, if she made it there, we would go for the college route. I think it's a healthier route, and that gymnasts have much better experiences in college. They made it seem as though I wouldn't put my daughter in the sport.
In the recent press, I'm very disappointed in what Kim Zmeskal has said. She's had beef with me since I called her out for being an unethical athlete representative two years ago. It's a shame that she can't think for herself. I remember when they abused her too. She was crying on my shoulder when Bela called her fat, put her on the scale, and made her run outside wearing a sweatsuit in the dead heat of summer. That happened in the very gym that the 2008 Olympic selection team camp happened. If she thinks that that's okay -- that that's fair treatment -- that's one thing, but I guarantee 99 percent of people wouldn't think that that's okay behavior.
In general, I think some of my quotes have been taken out of context recently so I'm trying to make sure that I'm clear. I love this sport. Why else would I go against the grain? This is a tough battle. I feel like my old [Olympic] teammates are throwing me under the bus because they don't want to say anything. Most of them didn't train with the Karolyis one on one. I spent most of my younger childhood years from 1992 to 1996 with them, and I know what they're like.
I understand that not everyone had that experience. I reached the Olympic level and am so proud that I represented my country. I'm certainly not against hard work. My goodness I know about sacrifices. I'm the first to say, Yes you need discipline, yes you need to work hard. I encourage that in all the athletes I coach. But at the same time, the poor treatment of athletes can't be justified.
Can you elaborate on some of the abusive training methods you experienced?
I can name a few of them just to scratch the surface. One time, Martha grabbed me by the back of the neck when I collapsed in the gym because of a tibial stress fracture. They didn't believe me for so long, and I was limping, and I collapsed twice before they even realized that I needed help. The second time, she grabbed me and shoved me over to the phone. She told me to call my parents because maybe I should go to a doctor.
In another case, Bela put me on the scale in front of the entire team at the 1995 World Championships. He berated me and belittled me in front of everyone. That kind of treatment is unnecessary. I was 70 pounds!
Would you like to get involved in USA Gymnastics to try to change these aspects of the sport?
That's still to be debated right now. I don't know if I want a position there. I'd love to be involved, but they've never wanted me to be involved. I'd have to be careful with what I get involved in after being so outspoken.
If it became a fair system and was something that was more ethical and something I believed in, then of course, I would love to be a part of that change. USA Gymnastics does not need Bela and Martha Karolyi anymore. The sport will survive, and the success will continue because of these excellent personal coaches.
Do you have similar concerns about the men’s selection process?
I think the men's selection is very similar now to the women's. David Sender -- the 2008 National Champion -- was overlooked; Sean Golden -- with amazing performances -- was overlooked; Raj Bhavsar is devastated right now because he was kept off the team again. How do you justify keeping Raj off the team when you say you've crunched the numbers? Can you show us how you crunched the numbers? What kind of hidden system is being used? What has to be so secretive here?
The athletes know they have to do a good job, but it's difficult because there is this gray area where there is subjective criteria that isn't disclosed. In 1996 we knew we had to be in the top seven, and if you made that you were on the team. It was based on your performance. And we were able to win the Olympics that year.
There should be a rule that explains how specialists are treated and how they can get their chance: they have to win their event or be in the top three -- something like that. I'm not against selection camps 100 percent, I just think that there's a more fair way to do it, and a way to be more respectful to the athletes.
Who are your medal picks for Beijing?
If everyone hits -- which would be a complete miracle -- but if it happens, mathematically, China will win the women's team gold. They have about a 1.7 gain in A score. But not everyone hits. You just never know who will win. I want our team to succeed, of course! I think the USA team is very strong -- as strong as the 1996 Olympic team was -- but you never know until you prove it there.
In the all-around I think Shawn Johnson is the heavy favorite. Shawn and Nastia Liukin could go 1-2. If they let Chellsie Memmel compete all-around on the first day, and she qualifies, who knows? Chellsie could win the whole thing too!
I think Shawn's start values are higher and she's been so solid, that she has a lot going for her too.
What’s it like to be a new mom?
I love it. It's been so rewarding and it's such a different aspect of life: changing diapers, and watching her go through her phases of growing. It's such an exciting time for me.
Are you still in business management school?
Yes. I have nine classes, then I graduate and I'll have my business management degree. Starting up a business might be something I'm interested in. Right now I'm not sure if that's the route I want to go. I have to see with Carmen growing and if we have another child soon. I want to be a stay-at-home mom for awhile, and we'd like to have two or three kids eventually. We'll just see how it goes.
I'm also working on a children's book series for gymnastics right now, and working with some charities on a few projects.
Are you coaching gymnastics?
I haven't been in the gym for awhile because after I delivered Carmen I really wanted to be a great mom. I may go back though.
You ended up getting a legal separation from your father Dumitru when you were age 17. How is your relationship with him now?
I have a very good relationship with him now. My Dad has changed in the last five years. He's been more mellow and he respects me a lot more. The cancer has mellowed him some.
He has a very rare cancer of the lacrimal glands. He had a tumor removed several years ago, and he's been through treatments and radiation. We've been told it's terminal at this point. So we're just making things easier for him and letting him do what he needs to do to feel comfortable. It's tough and it's part of life, and all we can do is support him right now.
How is the rest of your family?
My mother [Camelia] and I have always had a fantastic relationship and if anything, we've gotten closer in my 20s and since I've become a mother. She's always been the rock of our family.
My sister Christina is doing well. She's in college with a volleyball scholarship at Wharton County Junior College. She's all grown up!
What advice would you give the 2008 Olympians?
I would tell them to enjoy every minute of it, because it happens so quickly and it can be so overwhelming. Be proud to represent your country, and don't let anyone take away from that experience. Try to really enjoy it even though it can be difficult at times. No matter what happens, know that you deserve to be there even if you mess up.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
MAGNIFICENT SEVEN REUNITE FOR USOC HALL OF FAME INDUCTION (CANADIAN PRESS)
CHICAGO — One of the Magnificent Seven is now a doctor, while another got her law degree. Kerri Strug's ankle healed a long time ago. And Dominique Moceanu, the baby of the squad that was the first U.S. women's gymnastics team to win Olympic gold? She's got a baby of her own now.
If you haven't seen us since 1996, you're in for a big wake-up call. We've all changed," Shannon Miller, the most decorated American gymnast, said with a laugh. "I get a lot of people that still expect to see that 15-year-old or that 19-year-old, and all the sudden you're 31."
The Mag Seven - Miller, Strug, Moceanu, Amanda Borden, Amy Chow, Dominique Dawes and Jaycie Phelps - will have one of their rare reunions Thursday, when they're inducted into the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame. The gymnasts are the team entry in this year's class, beating out even the Dream Team in the fan vote.
"I was absolutely blown away," said Borden, the team captain. "It's such an honour to know how much people appreciated everything we did. As an athlete, that Olympics is one moment. To be inducted into the Hall of Fame is a lifetime."
The Americans took a talented, veteran group to the Atlanta Games. Miller, Dawes and Strug were part of the bronze-medal team in Barcelona, and Miller had won four other medals, including a silver in the all-around. Each team member had been to at least one world championships.
But the Eastern European powerhouses - Russia and Romania - still had a stranglehold on the Olympic title, and many assumed it would be more of the same in Atlanta.
"We believed we could win. We believed we could beat the Russians and the rest of world," Miller said. "We weren't going to jinx it and we weren't going to be arrogant about it. (But) we had an inner confidence that we knew we could do it."
The Americans were a close second to the Russians after the compulsories, and moved into the lead after the first event in the finals. With a raucous Georgia Dome crowd cheering them on, the gold appeared to be theirs as they went into their final rotation, the vault.
But Moceanu fell on both of her vault attempts. Strug fell on her first attempt, too, badly spraining her ankle in the process.
Fearing the gold medal was slipping away, Strug got back up and vaulted again in what would become one of the iconic images of the Atlanta Games. She landed on both feet, pulled her left leg up while she saluted the judges, then collapsed in agony as pandemonium reigned in the arena.
It was the first time since 1950 that a non-Eastern Bloc country had won a world or Olympic title.
"Oftentimes people will say, 'You look familiar. Did you go to my high school?"' said Strug, now a project manager for the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention in Washington.
"I'll say, 'I think you probably know me because I'm a gymnast.' They'll process the information and ... some will ask, 'Is your ankle OK?' That one I get a little chuckle out of because it has been 12 years.
"It's a good feeling to know you're still remembered and people have that recognition of you."
Though the members of the Magnificent Seven keep in contact through e-mail and text messages, their schedules make reunions a rarity.
Chow, who went to medical school, is doing her residency. Borden, who has a gym in Tempe, Ariz., and Moceanu, who lives in Cleveland, are new moms. Miller is in demand as a motivational speaker and broadcaster. Phelps is coaching, and Dawes recently served as president of the Women's Sports Foundation.
"It's really hard to get all seven of us together. Now that we're throwing husbands and babies into it, it's REALLY hard," Borden said. "We really appreciate the moments that we get to share together."
And they're not about to waste any of that time.
The women will spend Thursday morning hosting a clinic for local kids at Chicago's Union Station. That night, they'll gather with family and friends for the induction ceremony.
CHICAGO — One of the Magnificent Seven is now a doctor, while another got her law degree. Kerri Strug's ankle healed a long time ago. And Dominique Moceanu, the baby of the squad that was the first U.S. women's gymnastics team to win Olympic gold? She's got a baby of her own now.
If you haven't seen us since 1996, you're in for a big wake-up call. We've all changed," Shannon Miller, the most decorated American gymnast, said with a laugh. "I get a lot of people that still expect to see that 15-year-old or that 19-year-old, and all the sudden you're 31."
The Mag Seven - Miller, Strug, Moceanu, Amanda Borden, Amy Chow, Dominique Dawes and Jaycie Phelps - will have one of their rare reunions Thursday, when they're inducted into the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame. The gymnasts are the team entry in this year's class, beating out even the Dream Team in the fan vote.
"I was absolutely blown away," said Borden, the team captain. "It's such an honour to know how much people appreciated everything we did. As an athlete, that Olympics is one moment. To be inducted into the Hall of Fame is a lifetime."
The Americans took a talented, veteran group to the Atlanta Games. Miller, Dawes and Strug were part of the bronze-medal team in Barcelona, and Miller had won four other medals, including a silver in the all-around. Each team member had been to at least one world championships.
But the Eastern European powerhouses - Russia and Romania - still had a stranglehold on the Olympic title, and many assumed it would be more of the same in Atlanta.
"We believed we could win. We believed we could beat the Russians and the rest of world," Miller said. "We weren't going to jinx it and we weren't going to be arrogant about it. (But) we had an inner confidence that we knew we could do it."
The Americans were a close second to the Russians after the compulsories, and moved into the lead after the first event in the finals. With a raucous Georgia Dome crowd cheering them on, the gold appeared to be theirs as they went into their final rotation, the vault.
But Moceanu fell on both of her vault attempts. Strug fell on her first attempt, too, badly spraining her ankle in the process.
Fearing the gold medal was slipping away, Strug got back up and vaulted again in what would become one of the iconic images of the Atlanta Games. She landed on both feet, pulled her left leg up while she saluted the judges, then collapsed in agony as pandemonium reigned in the arena.
It was the first time since 1950 that a non-Eastern Bloc country had won a world or Olympic title.
"Oftentimes people will say, 'You look familiar. Did you go to my high school?"' said Strug, now a project manager for the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention in Washington.
"I'll say, 'I think you probably know me because I'm a gymnast.' They'll process the information and ... some will ask, 'Is your ankle OK?' That one I get a little chuckle out of because it has been 12 years.
"It's a good feeling to know you're still remembered and people have that recognition of you."
Though the members of the Magnificent Seven keep in contact through e-mail and text messages, their schedules make reunions a rarity.
Chow, who went to medical school, is doing her residency. Borden, who has a gym in Tempe, Ariz., and Moceanu, who lives in Cleveland, are new moms. Miller is in demand as a motivational speaker and broadcaster. Phelps is coaching, and Dawes recently served as president of the Women's Sports Foundation.
"It's really hard to get all seven of us together. Now that we're throwing husbands and babies into it, it's REALLY hard," Borden said. "We really appreciate the moments that we get to share together."
And they're not about to waste any of that time.
The women will spend Thursday morning hosting a clinic for local kids at Chicago's Union Station. That night, they'll gather with family and friends for the induction ceremony.
The Hall is presented by Allstate, which helped revive it in 2004 after it had been inactive for 12 years.
"The reflection of the moment and celebrating the moment, to me, it's always very emotional," Borden said. "As you get older, you start to appreciate a lot of the little things you've done in life. I hope to be able to really relish and take it all in.
"I really think it'll probably be one of most exciting moments I've had in a long time."
