Dominique Moceanu || 1996 Olympic Champion || The Official Website

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Dominique Moceanu
1996 Olympic Champion

Sixteen years since first gracing the Olympic stage, 1996 Olympic Gold Medalist Dominique Moceanu continues to inspire countless young athletes all over the world. Proudly recognized as the youngest U.S. National Champion in gymnastics history, Dominique remains active through her involvement with camps and clinics across the country. She also delivers personal messages of motivation, focus and healthy living through her speaking engagements and special appearances. Now a mother of two, Dominique continues to extend her resume with personal and professional milestones, reflecting a distinct evolution beyond her gold medal years.

RECENT HIGHLIGHTS

June 2012 - Dominique publishes her memoir, Off Balance
April 2012 - The first books in Dominique's Disney/Hyperion book series, The Go-For-The-Gold Gymnasts are released
September 2011 - Dominique inducted into Cleveland Sports Hall of Fame
August 2010 - Dominique inducted into the USA Gymnastics Hall of Fame
September 2009 - Dominique inks deal with Disney/Hyperion to co-author The Go-For-The-Gold Gymnasts, a four-book series
May 2009 - Dominique graduates with B.S. in Business Management from John Carroll University
March 2009 - Dominique welcomes second child, Vincent Michael
July 2008 - Dominique inducted into U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame
December 2007 - Dominique gives birth to first child, daughter Carmen Noel on Christmas Day
November 2006 - Dominique weds Dr. Michael Canales, a former Ohio State gymnast, in her hometown of Houston, Texas
January 2004 - Dominique launches a competition bearing her name, the first-ever Dominique Moceanu Invitational, in Cleveland, Ohio
January 2004 - Dominique releases a personalized bobblehead doll, a first for the gymnastics world

As the daughter of two athletic Romanian immigrants, it was almost inevitable that Dominique would follow in her parents’ agile footsteps. At the young age of 3, Dominique began taking gymnastics classes in Highland Park, Illinois. While Dominique’s athletic interests appeared to most as only a childhood hobby, gymnastics rapidly developed into her ultimate passion and, unbeknownst to the world, an Olympic Champion was in the making.

By age 10, Dominique’s talent, abilities and hard work led her to world-renowned coach Bela Karolyi. With Karolyi’s instruction, it was only a matter of time before her visions of becoming a champion manifested into reality. Only 7 months after joining Karolyi’s gym, Dominique became the youngest member to qualify for the U.S. Junior National Team at age ten. At the 1992 Junior National Championships, Dominique finished fifth in the all-around and continued her ‘youngest streak’ by becoming the youngest gymnast to win a medal at the championships (Balance Beam)—a record which still stands. That same year, as the youngest gymnast to ever compete at the Pan American Games, Dominique captured five medals (four of them gold!), again becoming the youngest gymnast to capture titles on vault, bars, floor exercise, all-around and in the team competition.

Although the 1993 Junior National Championships did not result quite as successfully as 1992, Dominique considers her seventh place all-around finish to have been an important growing experience. Karolyi’s philosophy, “you can always do better,” pushed Dominique’s training regimen to new heights. At the 1994 Junior Nationals, she triumphantly returned, capturing the coveted all-around medal in addition to 2 event gold medals (Vault, Floor Exercise).

Dominique enjoyed another stellar year in 1995. After winning a gold medal in the uneven bars at the Reese’s International Gymnastics Cup, she placed first in vault at the American Classic and continued her winning streak at the Visa Challenge by capturing her first all-around title against an international field and winning gold medals in the floor exercise and team competitions.

At the 1995 U.S. Senior Nationals (her first major Senior national meet), Dominique became the youngest gymnast in U.S. history (at 13) to capture the all-around title before going on to win the title at the World Team Trials. Consequently named to the 1995 World Championships team that went on to win a team bronze medal, Dominique took fifth in the all-around competition in her first World Championships appearance. She also won the silver medal in the balance beam competition, earning the distinction of the best individual performance for an American that year.

Leading up to the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Dominique unfortunately experienced a painful stress fracture in her tibia, resulting in a disappointing U.S. Nationals finish. Furthermore, her injury had a considerable impact on her training before the Olympic Games, pre-empting her chances for an individual gold medal. Although Dominique’s Olympic performance did not result in an individual medal, it did contribute to earning the team gold medal. Subsequently, the 1996 Gymnastics team, becoming the first and only American Women’s Gymnastics Team to win the Olympic team gold medal, was dubbed the “Magnificent 7.”

Following the 1996 Olympics, Dominique had several coaching changes until 1998 when she began training under the guidance of Luminita Miscenco, a former gymnast at the famous school in Deva, Romania. Doubt arose about Dominique’s ability to rebound from the disappointment of not winning an individual medal in Atlanta.

Dominique credits Miscenco for putting her back on track and for helping her adjust to her new frame after she grew seven inches in height and gained 18 pounds in 1997. As Dominique continued to develop physically and mentally under the direction of Miscenco, her confidence was restored and her eagerness to regain respect by proving herself as an individual international competitor escalated.

Leading up to the 1998 Goodwill Games in New York, there was a great deal of pressure on Dominique to perform well. Embracing the challenge with determination and maturity, Dominique proved to the world that her will to succeed could overcome adversity. In a breathtaking performance, she triumphantly captured the all-around title at the Goodwill Games. Becoming the first non-Russian to win this distinction, Dominique’s gold medal re-established her position among the world’s elite.

In the fall of 1998, Dominique, now 17, navigated through a challenging and emotional family struggle when she sought legal emancipation from her parents. The distractions and media circus caused conflict with her training. Even with her privacy invaded and training interrupted, Dominique strove to maintain a profound poise and maturity. Having missed a few months of training and competitions, new doubts arose surrounding Dominique’s ability to rebound. However, Dominique’s unique and undying spirit as well as her love of the sport continued to flourish.
In a determined comeback effort, Dominique moved to Cincinnati, Ohio in January of 2000 to resume training under the management and support of 1996 Assistant Olympic coach Mary Lee Tracy. Advancing from the U.S. Classic, through to the U.S. National Championships, Dominique was well on track to realizing her Olympic dream for the second time. Unfortunately, a sudden knee injury forced her to withdraw from the 2000 Olympic Trials.

Following the 2000 Olympic season, Dominique remained active in the gymnastics community through national tours, coaching duties for an Ohio club team and traveling the country to host clinics at local gyms.

After a five-year competitive hiatus, Dominique surprised and delighted fans in 2005 with the announcement that she would return to elite gymnastics at age 23. Coached by her fiancé, Dr. Michael Canales, Dominique drew strength and enthusiasm from the team based approach that leveraged Canales’ experience as a physician, collegiate gymnast and confidante. Despite their efforts being ultimately derailed due to injury, Dominique and Mike credit their 2005 training sessions as a source of enrichment for their relationship.

After receiving surgical treatment for an Achilles’ tendon injury, Dominique sought guidance from USA Gymnastics’ Athlete Selection Committee and resumed training on floor and vault with the ultimate goal to compete at the 2006 Senior U.S. National Championships. After attending the national team training camp in July of 2006 and competing at the 2006 U.S. Classic to fulfill the qualification criteria outlined to her by the selection committee, Dominique was ultimately blocked from participation in the 2006 U.S. Championships in what proved to be a controversial decision. Dominique and her coach/fiancé Mike appealed the decision with USA Gymnastics, but the ruling was not overturned.

Dominique rebounded from the disappointment of 2006 by turning her focus toward building a family and furthering her education. She exchanged wedding vows with Mike in November 2006, and welcomed their first child, daughter Carmen Noel on Christmas Day in 2007. Dominique received her bachelor’s degree in Business Management from John Carroll University just two months after welcoming the family’s second child, Vincent Michael in March 2009.

Although a return to the Olympic stage was never fully realized, Dominique has continually proved to herself and the world that after all she has been through, she still has the heart of a champion. A passionate gymnastics supporter and athletes’ advocate, Dominique remains active in the gymnastics community while pursuing professional and philanthropic endeavors including personal appearances, motivational speaking engagements and entrepreneurial ventures.