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Dominique Moceanu

Dominique Moceanu
Moceanu at SXSW 2024
Personal information
Full nameDominique Helena Moceanu
Born (1981-09-30) September 30, 1981 (age 43)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
HometownCleveland, Ohio, U.S.
Gymnastics career
DisciplineWomen's artistic gymnastics
Country represented United States
Years on national team1992–2000, 2004–2006 (USA)
LevelSenior international elite
ClubLaFleur's; Károlyi's; Moceanu Gymnastics; Cincinnati Gymnastics Academy
Head coach(es)Béla and Márta Károlyi
Former coach(es)Jeff LaFleur; Béla and Márta Károlyi; Luminița Miscenco; Mary Lee Tracy; Alexander Alexandrov
ChoreographerGeza Pozar, Dominic Zito
Music"The Devil Went Down to Georgia"
Retired2000; 2006
Medal record
Women's gymnastics
Representing the  United States
International gymnastics competitions
Event 1st 2nd 3rd
Olympic Games 1 0 0
World Championships 0 1 1
Goodwill Games 1 0 0
Total 2 1 1
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 1996 Atlanta Team
World Championships
Silver medal – second place 1995 Sabae Balance beam
Bronze medal – third place 1995 Sabae Team
Goodwill Games
Gold medal – first place 1998 New York City All-Around

Dominique Helena Moceanu (/mˈɑːn/, moh-CHEE-ah-noo; Romanian: [moˈtʃe̯anu]; born September 30, 1981)[1] is a retired[2] American gymnast. She was a member of the gold medal-winning United States women's gymnastics team, the "Magnificent Seven", at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta.[3][4]

Moceanu trained under Marta and Béla Károlyi,[5] and later Luminița Miscenco[6] and Mary Lee Tracy.[7] She earned her first national team berth at age 10[8] and represented the United States in various international competitions at the junior level. She was the all-around silver medalist at the 1992 Junior Pan American Games and the 1994 junior national champion.[9] In 1995, at the age of 13, she became the youngest gymnast to win the senior all-around title at the U.S. National Championships.[10] She was the youngest member of both the 1995 World Championships team and the gold medal-winning 1996 Olympics team, and was the last gymnast to compete legally in the Olympics at the age of 14.[11]

Moceanu's last major success in gymnastics was at the 1998 Goodwill Games, where she became the first American to win the all-around gold medal.[8] Family problems, coaching changes, and injuries derailed her efforts to make the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, and she retired from the sport in 2000.[12] Since then, she has worked as a coach,[1][13] studied business management,[13][14] and written a memoir, Off Balance.[15][16]

  1. ^ a b "Dominique Moceanu" (PDF). usagym.org. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 13, 2022. Retrieved July 6, 2016.
  2. ^ DeSimone, Bonnie (June 26, 1996). "Gymnast Pursues 2nd Act". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on May 10, 2013. Retrieved July 6, 2016.
  3. ^ "Olympic Games - U.S. Women's Team Rosters". usagym.org. Archived from the original on October 25, 2022. Retrieved July 6, 2016.
  4. ^ "Olympedia – Dominique Moceanu". Olympedia. Retrieved December 30, 2022.
  5. ^ Lynn, Alison (June 11, 2012). "Champion Gymnast's Hidden Life: Dominique Moceanu on Secret Sister". ABC News. Retrieved July 6, 2016.
  6. ^ "Moceanu Switches Coaches". The New York Times. Associated Press. January 16, 1999. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on May 27, 2015. Retrieved July 6, 2016.
  7. ^ Pucin, Diane (August 18, 2000). "A Disappointed Moceanu Talks of Leaving Gymnastics". Los Angeles Times. ISSN 0458-3035. Retrieved July 6, 2016.
  8. ^ a b Litsky, Frank (July 20, 1998). "Older, Wiser Moceanu Finds the Right Balance". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved July 6, 2016.
  9. ^ "Even at Age 13, a Storybook Career Is Emerging". The New York Times. August 17, 1995. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved July 6, 2016.
  10. ^ Pollack, Andrew (October 9, 1995). "Miller's Uneven Finish Opens Vault for Others". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved July 6, 2016.
  11. ^ Doster, Rob (June 19, 2014). "The Youngest Phenoms in Sports History". Athlonsports.com | Expert Predictions, Picks, and Previews. Retrieved April 11, 2016.
  12. ^ Roberts, Selena (August 18, 2000). "Injured Moceanu Forced Out of Competition". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved July 6, 2016.
  13. ^ a b Galbincea, Pat (March 9, 2011). "Olympic gymnastics champ Dominique Moceanu now coaches in Broadview Heights". Cleveland Plain Dealer. Retrieved July 6, 2016.
  14. ^ "Moceanu, Dominique | Cleveland Sports Hall of Fame". Clevelandsportshall.com. July 18, 2011. Retrieved July 6, 2016.
  15. ^ "Book Excerpt: Dominique Moceanu's 'Off Balance'". ABC News. June 11, 2012. Retrieved July 6, 2016.
  16. ^ Dyball, Rennie (June 20, 2012). "'Off Balance' sheds light on world of elite gymnastics". Boston Globe. Retrieved July 6, 2016.

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