Dawes, along with her husband and children, couldn’t take her eyes off them, even though it was dinner time. Afterward, her daughters told her they wanted to be just like those players. “I thought, wow, that’s amazing, because I was in those positions once and I was sowing the seeds of inspiration. Now these young women are trailblazers,” she said.
In 1992, Dawes was one of the first two black women to compete on the U.S. Women’s Olympic Gymnastics team. “So many boys and girls of color looked up to me and wanted to be like me,” she says. And now, she says, it’s great to see the sport embracing diversity across race, ethnicity and body type. “They’re not just competing, they’re dominating, and they’ve changed the sport of gymnastics.”
Athletes are also extending their careers. Dawes jokes that at age 23, she was the “grandmother” of the 2000 gymnastics team. Now, Miller notes, more gymnasts are bouncing between college and elite gymnastics. This wasn’t really happening during her time, mostly because it meant athletes would have to give up lucrative sponsorship opportunities after the Olympics. They’re competing on different equipment now, which “increases safety and longevity for the athletes,” Miller says.
Many athletes are also prioritizing their health and well-being. “They’re taking a lot more control over their training these days. They’re listening to their body, listening to their heart, and making decisions. They’re smart,” Dawes says. It’s progress, but there’s still a ways to go.
As elite athletes, Miller, Dawes and Moceanu have always given their all, in and out of the gym and on the field. They fell in love with the sport and its advanced skills as children, and they want the next generation to love it too. But they also want young gymnasts to thrive. That doesn’t mean just lip service to eliminating abusive practices; it means building a culture that truly cares about athletes as people – before, during and after their careers.
“The work I’ve been fighting for for over a decade will forever remain in history, just like that gold medal,” Moceanu said, “but I hope it will have an even bigger impact on people’s lives and the future of our sport.”
Photography: Nadya Wasylko. Creative Direction: Amber Venerable. Costume Styling: Dione Davis. Hair: Hiro + Mari. Makeup: Shaina Ehrlich. Prop Styling: Elaine Winter. Production: Melissa Kramer. Editor in Chief: Rachel Wilkerson Miller. Research Director: Yulia Khabinksy.
