Dominique Dawes

Do you know Dominique Dawes? Well, let me fill you in. She is the first African American to win an individual event medal with bronze in the floor exercise. This is the story. Dominique Dawes was born on November 20, 1976 in Silver Spring, Maryland. She has a sister Danielle and a brother Don. Her parents got her involved in gymnastic when she was 6 because she was full of energy, and she really liked it. 

She made the United States Olympics team in 1992 and got a bronze medal in the team competition but didn't qualify for any other events. In 1994 she was the first female athletic since 1969 to take home five gold medals at the US National Championships. In 1995 Dawes won the 1995 Arch McDonald Award. She also won the 1995 Henry P. Iba Citizen Athlete Award, presented to two outstanding athletes who have demonstrated good citizenship. She was named 1994 Sportsperson of the Year from USA Gymnastics and was a finalist for the 1994 Sullivan Award which recognizes the USA's top amateur athlete. Her coach and teammates called her "Awesome Dawesome."

In 1996 Dominique earned a spot on the Olympic team and won a gold medal in team competition and a bronze medal in the floor competition. She and her teammates appeared on Wheaties cereal box and have also appeared on numerous televisions shows since their gold medal win.

After that, Dawes decided to attend the University of Maryland. She also tried working in acting, modeling, and television show production. She has appeared in the Broadway hit Grease as Patty Simcox, on the Disney show, The Jersey and in Prince's music video tiled, "Betcha by Golly Wow."