Dominique Moceanu: An American Champion

[CameliasFingerpaint]

I really appreciate that you are summarizing both books side by side. It’s really quite unnerving and depressing to see the way she was forced into glorifying her abusers in public. I cannot even begin to imagine how that complicates the trauma even further.

 

[QuietColours]

I do think it's important to note with this one that it is "as told to Steve Woodward." I have wondered on many occasions as I was reading what that interview was like (and who else was interviewed), and exactly how much of any of this is Moceanu's own words and how much is a ghost writer having the outline of her career and filling in the blanks with the expected tone. It's entirely possible she never even read the book prior to its publication, much less that she had any editorial authority over it.

 

[CameliasFingerpaint]

I do think it's important to note with this one that it is "as told to Steve Woodward." I have wondered on many occasions as I was reading what that interview was like (and who else was interviewed), and exactly how much of any of this is Moceanu's own words and how much is a ghost writer having the outline of her career and filling in the blanks with the expected tone. It's entirely possible she never even read the book prior to its publication, much less that she had any editorial authority over it.

One can only hope. Reading some of the way she describes events is really bizarre. Like, no 10 year old actually thinks like that.

 

[tempest]

what sill did she think would get named after her?

 

[QuietColours]

I think it was the back dive to handstand-half turn that starts at 30:34 in the video

 

[RichardL]

She could've submitted the switch side! I can't believe that one went to Shawn Johnson...

 

[tempest]

I think it was the back dive to handstand-half turn that starts at 30:34 in the video

wasn't that a "miller"

 

[Puffin]

wasn't that a "miller"

Dominique's element had a 1/4 turn but I think the Miller was supposed to have a 3/4 turn - but I don't think Miller always performed it that way

 

[irichluck21]

No Moceanu posted on Twitter/X over the summer that she never got her mount, the variation of the Silivas named after her. She wanted to know if she could submit the skill retroactively.

 

[MaryClare]

No Moceanu posted on Twitter/X over the summer that she never got her mount, the variation of the Silivas named after her. She wanted to know if she could submit the skill retroactively.

Who does she think she is, Nelli Kim?!

 

[Concorde]

She could've submitted the switch side! I can't believe that one went to Shawn Johnson...

The side switch leap on balance beam has an odd history with regards to naming, and is incorrectly credited to Kathy Johnson.

- Following the 1993 World Championships, the element enters the COP, but is not named after anyone.

- Beginning with the 2006 - 2008 COP, the name Johnson listed in the element box. Perhaps the WTC thought Johnson because of the side switch leap being named after Brandy Johnson on floor exercise.

- Beginning with the 2009 - 2012 COP, a list of named elements appears. The name is shown as Johnson (Name TBC), with the country of U.S.A.

- Beginning with the 2013 - 2016 COP, the element is credited to Kathy Johnson.

 

[Denn]

What a history of uncareful editorial work by the WTC... Sigh.

I actually don't know who the first to do the element is. I remember Dawes did it in 1993, but I feel like others did it that year, too, and maybe even years earlier...

 

[Puffin]

They should give Mostepanova back the bhs½ that they gave to Onodi 6 years later

Mostepanova 1983 Worlds




Onodi 1989 worlds

 

[irichluck21]

I couldn't find the Twitter post, but here is the Instagram post.



Also, my mid 40s brain fog has gotten to me, but I think she might have been the 1st to dismount bars with a full twisting DLO?

 

[Concorde]

Also, my mid 40s brain fog has gotten to me, but I think she might have been the 1st to dismount bars with a full twisting DLO?

No, Gutsu competed this as early as 1992. In 1995, Karpenko was likely among the first to perform this at a World Championships. Piskun and Moceanu are probably the first to perform this at an Olympic Games.

 

[CameliasFingerpaint]

Moceanu’s DLO full remains far and away the very best one.

Bhardwaj’s was also really good, I wonder if Alexandrov taught both of them the skill.

 

[tempest]

Who is the full twisting DLO named after?

 

[Concorde]

Who is the full twisting DLO named after?

It’s been unnamed since the element entered the COP.

 

[irichluck21]

Gutsu competed this as early as 1992

I forgot about that, I was thinking of her more with the split leg double layout on floor.

 

[QuietColours]

.
Chapter 13: The Floor Exercise

• Knew she had a small margin to work with. If she hit floor, she had a chance to medal–maybe gold. Floor is her favorite–she's filled with joy when she's performing
• Felt extremely confident. She knew she could do every part of the routine easily. Bela sensed her mood and encouraged it
• Chantilly Lace by the Big Bopper was her music, and she loved it.
• Began with a dance sequence queued to music. Her routine had 4 tumbling passes that day. Her trademark move is a little hop at the very end of a tumbling series–handspring, front full, front layout, straight jump, then into her final pose. She picked this up from Boguinskaia, who only did this in the gym, not in competition. Dominique added it to her performance to give it a different look
• When she landed her final pose, she was ecstatic and thought she could win the gold
• The 9.8 score was a bit of disappointment. The crowd seemed to agree; they boo'ed the judges. But it was enough to win the AA gold over Shannon Miller, 78.45 to 78.25.
• No way to describe the excitement she felt on winning. Bela rushed over and swept her up in a hug. "You did it!...You did it! You little sucker, you did it!"
• She knew her parents and sister were proud of her in the stands

Chapter 14: Fame and Fans

• Winning feels great, but it comes with a price–you have to work even harder. She isn't complaining about being the National Champion–it's a joy to be the top female gymnast in her country. But she didn't get there alone
  • Parents, for their support
  • Coaches for working with her and pushing her
  • Friends and teammates who were so helpful and supportive
• It was a little hard to get back to training as usual. Bela reminded her he's coached gymnasts who won gold at the Olympics
• There was a new pressure to stay number one
• It was strange to be back in the gym
• Now she realizes it's almost a guarantee that you'll struggle with training when coming down from such a tremendous high, but at the time she didn't know what was wrong with her
• Began to get real fans–people wrote her letters and felt a special bond with her. Loves knowing that she's helping kids by showing them it's possible to succeed and still have fun.
• Tries to give back as much excitement and love as she gets
• Tries to answer all the mail, but it piles up fast. The mail comes to the gym.
• Fans seem to be all ages–parents writing for kids, little kids with big printing, one girl is older than she is and writes long letters on beautiful stationery. Some letters from adults
• Sometimes kids ask for advice and she tells them to just have gun
• People recognize her in public now too. Sometimes they'll stop her and say nice things
• She likes the extra attention, but she refuses to get big headed about it
• Shares some of the fan letters she's received
• Always thankful for kind and encouraging words