Dominique Moceanu

As the daughter of two former Romanian gymnasts, it was almost inevitable that Dominique Moceanu would follow in her parents' well balanced footsteps. At the young age of 3 and a half, Dominique began taking gymnastics classes in Highland Park, IL. 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 inherited talent and evident ability were obvious. She dreamed of one day competing at the elite level, joining the ranks of Nadia Comaneci, Betty Okino, and Mary Lou Retton. Dominique solidified her committment to success in 1991 when she began training with world-renowned coach Bela Karolyi. With Bela's instruction, visions of becoming a champion manifested into reality. Dominique was well on her way to securing her place in gymnastics history. Only 7 months after joining Karolyi's gym, Dominique became the younges