Dominique Dawes

Most people look up to others as if they are their role model. These people are called heroes. To me, a hero is someone who is intelligent, dedicated, talented, and has strength to believe in who they want to be in life. These people have many character traits to help define themselves as a hero. My hero is Dominique Dawes. She had been the first black female to win the Olympic gold medal in gymnastics history. Dominique was a brave athlete. She had stuck up for who she was, and had helped the United States win an Olympic Gold Medal. I myself, look up to Dominique Dawes as a unique and matchless hero.

Dominique Dawes was born on November 20th 1976. She had an older sister, Daniel and a younger brother, Don Jr. She started gymnastics at the age of 6, when she signed up for classes at Hill's Angels Gym. She began working with Kelli Hill, who had coached her for her entire career. By the age of 10 she had competed nationally around the United States. She had placed 17th in the all around out of the junior division in 1988 the first time ever. In 1989, at the age of 12, she was sent to Australia to compete in her first International world wide meet. At the age of 15 Dawes had scored a perfect 10.0 at the USA vs. Japan International meet. This had led her to the World Championship team of 1991 and 1992.

At age 15 she had placed 4th in the all around in 1992 at the Olympic Trials. She was then offered a spot on the Barcelona Olympic Team. She had suffered painful tendonitis in both ankles and Osgood-Schlatter disease during the Pre-Olympic training. During the Olympic Trials Training, Dawes had performed nicely throughout the competition, even having a brand new move on the balance beam---back handspring to three layout step outs. In the end, Dawes won the floor exercise with a score of 9.925, which tied with Kim Zmeskal. The team had won bronze but Dawes was the first African American to win the gold at the Olympic Trials. After a few years she led the 1996 Olympic Team trials to winning the gold at the age of 19.

The team, later nicknamed Magnificent 7, dominated the team competition. Dawes was the only one on the team to have all of her 8 scores put toward the team's average all-around. Along with the Shannon Miller, Jayice Phelps, Dominique Moceanu, Amanda Borden, Amy Chow and Kerri Strug, Dawes claimed her gold medal as part of the first black women and first American women. This is why she is my hero. She is brave, honest, competitive and energetic! This had all happened in 1996 at the age of 19 turning 20. She was still young but had many injuries and recoveries. This is why I call her a strong, competitive worker because she never gave up and always gave it her all.

It is now the year of 2000, the new millennium! Dominique is now 24 years old. She decided that it was going to be her last competition for her to compete in the Olympics. She hadn't done her best but she had come in 4th all-around. She was ashamed but she had to look back and see what she had discovered in her life. She was brilliant, beautiful, and mature but now had to move on in life. Dominique is a great role model for someone who believes in themselves of what they want to do. I will always look up to Dominique when I have my own down times and I'm sure her kindness will tell me to not give up and just keep on going. Dominique Dawes is a legend Hero!

After giving up gymnastics and recovering from her injuries, Dawes went to Montgomery Blair High school in Silver Spring, Maryland. (During her high school years she was voted prom queen). She graduated with a Bachelor's degree from the University of Maryland in 2002. She started a career in acting, modeling, and television production. She was a huge success. She was in many movies, broadway shows, and television productions. What I like about Dominique is that she moved forward proceeded on with her life. She now had something to look back to but had to continue on with her life.

Dominique Dawes in now a hero to many people. She didn't live on her life without the background on gymnastics. Dominique Dawes has many accomplishments to look back on. With all of her awards that she has won she should be proud of herself. She is now a legend of gymnastics! Since 2005 Dawes has been giving private lessons at her home gym. This is why I describe her as a thoughtful and loyal hero. She is now mature and helps others with her own opinion. I would be very thankful if Dominique Dawes came to my gym voluntarily and coached me. Dominique is my hero because she goes out of her own way for others. She also stood up for her own nationality and proved others wrong.

Dominique Dawes is my own specific hero. I look up to her as a role model and say maybe one day I will be like her�! She is very athletic and imaginative toward her gymnastics life. The first reason why she is my hero is because she stuck up for her nationality and was the first African American to win the Olympic Gold Medal in gymnastics. The second and last reason why she is a hero to me is because after her gymnastics career, she was an influence to others. In other words she helped others out on her own time. She went out of her way to coach others at her gym and other things, for example her workshop "Healthy Habits for Life," helping out girl scouts and supporting all women's sports. Dominique is my admirer and the person that I will always look up to.