Archive Former Olympic gymnast Dominique Dawes was inducted into the USA Gymanstics Hall of Fame in 2005.

Dominique Dawes will always be remembered as a member of the gold-medal winning 1996 “Magnificent Seven” U.S. women’s gymnastics team. The three-time Olympian also became the first African American female gymnast to win an individual medal when she took the bronze in the floor exercise at those Atlanta Games, and she won a team bronze in the 1992 Barcelona Games. Today, the 31-year-old is still involved in the sport, but has also branched out into other activities. Just before flying to Beijing in time for the opening ceremonies on Friday, Aug. 8, Dawes took a moment from speaking engagements in Los Angeles to talk with 210SA.

What is your most memorable moment of the 1996 Games?

Standing on the podium with my teammates was obviously a big thrill, but the most memorable moment would have to be the training leading up to it. Becoming a team as quickly as we did and becoming friends, and cheering each other on through all those hours of training.

What is your occupation nowadays?

I do a lot of motivational speaking at corporate events and social events, and I’m also coaching gymnastics part time.

Will you be following the Beijing Games, and what do you think of this year’s Olympic squad?

I’m heading over to Beijing with Yahoo Sports. I’m excited. This is going to be a great Olympic year. Hearing from an athlete like Kobe Bryant about how excited he is. ..... It’s a thrill to hear such a professional athlete that excited. You might think he’s already reached the pinnacle of his sport, but to hear the excitement in his voice is another indication of how special the Olympics are.

At the time of the Atlanta Games, you had been rivals with a couple of the other American girls when it came to world championships. Was it difficult for you to put rivalries aside and quickly become Olympic teammates? And do you keep in touch with any of them today?

It’s not difficult to do that. The sport of gymnastics is basically an individual sport. No one’s going to help you. I was only focused on doing my job and my routine for the betterment of the team. That’s not difficult at all. I stay in touch with e-mail or text messaging. For example, we know if someone’s getting married. But the girls I really stay in touch with are the girls I trained with in college at (the University of) Maryland before graduating in 2002.

Here in San Antonio, one of our women’s pro basketball players, American Becky Hammon, is getting support and flak because she’s playing for the Russian Olympic team. What do you think of that, and could you ever see yourself competing for another nation under any circumstances?

I could never see myself competing again, period (laughs). If anyone was in her shoes and to be on such a high stage — it’s an honor in itself. I have nothing against it. She’s so talented, and I could understand it.

Your 1996 teammate Dominique Moceanu recently criticized the coaching and training regimens brought forth by your former Team USA coaches Bela and Martha Karolyi. What’s your reaction to her comments?
No. 1, that’s how Dominique Moceanu feels, and no one can take that away from her. We were at a high level of training, and we had to go through a strict regimen. And you have to watch what you eat. It was nothing new, the stuff that’s been talked about. Of course they pushed us hard, and there were negative things, but there were also positive things. I walk away from the sport and look at the culmination of those years and remember the positive things.

What’s it like adhering to such diet restrictions in the name of competition, despite the potential for bodily harm?

There’s not a lot of bodily harm. If you’re watching what you eat and have a well-balanced diet, we encourage that. I don’t feel the diet was that restricting, it was just controlled. I just really wish I had the discipline to eat like that today (laughs).

How difficult is it for an Olympian to keep ongoing political strife out of his or her training focus?

It’s not too difficult for the top athletes. It shouldn’t be difficult — as long as they focus on the things they can control, on the job at hand and the preparation, and to go in there and win some medals. Many of them have been training their whole lives and childhood for this moment.

You’ve been on Broadway in the musical “Grease,” appeared in music videos for Prince (“Betcha By Golly Wow”) and Missy Elliott (“We Run This”) and been on “Sesame Street.” What are your long-term plans for the future?

I love performing on Broadway with break dancers and singers. But my focus today is on my motivational speaking. I love to get girls involved in gymnastics, and I enjoy empowering athletes and families. I do private lessons and help them to love the sport.

Jay Nanda | 210SA contributor