Dominique Dawes

OLYMPIC GOLD MEDAL-WINNING GYMNAST AND THREE-TIME OLYMPIAN DOMINIQUE DAWES CRAFTING A SECOND CAREER AS A MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKER, SPOKESWOMAN, BROADCASTER

Dawes won Gold with the ‘Magnificent Seven’ at the 1996 Atlanta Games, became first African-American female gymnast to win individual medal with bronze on floor

Rockville, Md. (June 9, 2008) — For most people, the lasting images of Dominique Dawes are of a pint-sized gymnast twisting and tumbling her way to Olympic glory, then victoriously raising a bouquet of flowers with her teammates as the United States team – forever known as the “Magnificent Seven” – received its gold medals at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta.

Dawes, a three-time Olympic medalist and a four-time medalist at the World Championships of gymnastics, will forever be remembered for those heroics, achieved at the young age of 19. But nearly seven years after her latest Olympic feat, she has become much more than a champion gymnast.

Dawes, 31, is an accomplished motivational speaker, broadcaster, national spokeswoman, Broadway performer, part-time coach and gymnastics clinician who also conducts self-esteem and fitness workshops. She says that while competing in gymnastics was such an important part of her life for so many years, championing other causes has become her focus now.

“People always ask me what my most memorable moment was in my career, and I always answer by saying, ‘My most memorable moments continue to happen today,’” Dawes said. “When I have the opportunity to inspire someone to envision more for their lives or to reach their full potential, I try to capture it.

“I try to impress in young people that it’s not about the glamour of the gold, or the endorsements or reaching a certain salary, but it’s more important to make a difference in someone else’s life. That’s what I think makes you a more fulfilled person.”

With the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing approaching, if you would like to schedule Dawes for an interview or other media appearance, please contact us. Dawes can talk about athletes’ preparations for the Games, her Olympic memories, diet and body-image issues among athletes and motivational issues, and other topics.

Dawes was not only the first female African-American gymnast to win an individual medal, but also the only U.S. gymnast to compete in three modern Olympic Games. She was best known for her up-and-back tumbling past that consisted of 11 flips in a row, tumbling from one end of the floor to the other. One of her most memorable achievements was at the ’96 Games, when she tumbled and danced her way to a bronze medal in the floor exercise.

After her competitive career wound down with an appearance in the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Dawes earned a degree in communications from the University of Maryland and set out to put her education and the fame associated with her Olympic success to good use. She has done work in broadcasting – commentating from national and international competitions – but she has focused a large portion of her attention on motivational speaking and campaigns to support women and youth’s self-esteem and other health and wellness issues.

Dawes has been involved in motivational speaking for 11 years, talking to schools and groups of young people about health, wellness and building self-esteem. She recently developed a 30-minute motivational CD aimed at teens and tweens titled “Envision: Reaching Your Full Potential” to get her message out to more people.

Capitalizing on a platform that has allowed her to capture the attention of millions of people, Dawes has served as a spokeswoman for the Girl Scouts of America’s Uniquely Me program, Dove’s Campaign for Real Beauty and the American Heart Association’s Choose to Move program. She serves as a past president of the Women’s Sports Foundation and on the athlete committee for USA Gymnastics as well as Sesame Street’s Health Advisory Committee. While the majority of her work is aimed toward women and youth, Dawes also speaks to corporations and non-profit organizations on leadership skills, goal-setting and teamwork. She has served as an event host or master of ceremonies at many events as well.

Between those duties, Dawes also works as a part-time coach with young athletes and offers a fundamental gymnastics clinic, in which she travels to gym facilities and provides a full day of gymnastics instruction and motivation for young aspiring gymnasts.

Dawes began competing in gymnastics at the age of 6 and spent the better part of 20 years in a gym – but she can’t envision doing that for the rest of her life. She said she has found a new purpose and passion, and that is working to improve the lives of others and sharing the story of her trials and triumphs.

“What motivates me now is realizing that this is my passion – teaching and speaking about the issues that are near and dear to me are my passions,” Dawes said. “Knowing that I can make a difference, whether it’s through writing, coaching, public speaking or teaming up with certain non-profits or initiatives that corporations have – knowing that I can make a difference in someone else’s life – is what motivates me.”

Having overcome many obstacles and having been taken under the wing of her one and only coach, Kelli Hill, at a young age, Dawes knows the power of self esteem, positive reinforcement and solid role models. Remembering the support she received as a child trying to grasp a dream as difficult as Olympic gold, she said, drives her to support young girls and women in sports and other aspects of life.

“I truly believe competition in gymnastics prepared me for life,” Dawes said.

“I also feel that my talent is in motivational speaking, in empowering other people. I am a strong believer in my faith, and I believe that if you are blessed with a certain talent, that you shouldn’t waste it. That’s what motivates me each and every day, knowing that I’ve been blessed with this and that I can make a difference in someone else’s life.”

Dawes attributes much of her success to positive reinforcement and the endless encouragement she received from Hill. Because of that, she is dedicated to using her positive attitude and outlook to help others.

“The saying ‘Sticks and stones can break my bones, but words can never break me’ is a myth. … I know from experience that negative words can damage but positive words can heal and empower,” Dawes said. “My goal in life is to empower and make a positive impact with all that I do.”