1995 - Female Recipient Dominique Dawes
Daughter of Dan and Loretta,"Dom" was first enrolled in gymnastics at the age of six. From then on her extraordinary talent and desire for the sport grew by leaps and bounds. Five years later, she entered her first national competition in Houston, and she entered her first international event in Australia the year after that. Dom has competed in three Olympics and numerous World Championships.
Dominique emerged individually in 1993--at the World Championship she finished fourth in the all-around and she was runner-up at the U.S. Gymnastics Championship. She continued her success in 1994, when she placed fifth at the World Championship before capturing the all-around and all four apparatus titles at the national competition, becoming the first gymnast in 25 years to accomplish that feat.
Dominique was a member of the "Magnificent Seven" squad that gave the U.S. its first Olympic gold medal in women's team gymnastics. While helping lead the team to their gold medal performance, individually she captured a bronze medal on the floor exercise and became the first African-American to earn an individual Olympic Medal in women's gymnastics. In April 2000, Dominique decided to take a break from studying at the University of Maryland to return to gymnastics and attempt to make her third Olympic Team. In July, she finished ninth in the all-around at the U.S. Gymnastics Championship to qualify her for the Olympic Trials. With her performance and leadership demonstrated at the Trials, Dominique made her third U.S. Women's Gymnastics Team.
Dominique has also performed off the gymnastics floor. After the 1996 Olympics, she played Rydell High's perky cheerleader, Patty Simcox, in a Broadway production of "Grease." She has also appeared in a music video entitled "Betcha By Golly Wow" produced by Prince. Despite her nearly 40-hour a week training regimen, Dominique has given freely of her time to worthy causes.
A few career highlights:
- Member of the 1992, 1996 and 2000 USA Women's Olympic Gymnastic Team
- Member of the first ever American Gold Medal Olympic Team in the Women's All-Around in 1996
- Captured the bronze medal in the floor exercise in the 1996 Olympics, as well as the team gold
- 1st ever African-American to win an individual event medal
- Won all 4 events in the 1996 Coca-Cola National Championships
- 1994 Gold in EVERY event at the National Gymnastics Championships - the all-around, balance beam, floor exercise, uneven bars, and vaults (a feat unmatched since 1969)
- 1994 World Championships Event Finalist, a Team World Championships Silver Medallist, and the USA Gymnastics Sports person of the Year
- 1993 World Championship Silver Medallist and USA Gymnastics Athlete of the Year
- 1992 Olympic Bronze Medalist, World Championship Team Member and National Uneven Bars Champion
- Recipient of the Arch McDonald Award presented by the Touchdown Club of Washington D.C.
