Dominique Moceanu - 1996 Olympics Team Optionals - Floor Exercise

[secutorclaudius]

leave it to romanians to uplift the usa team.

[SoJeri]

She is my one of my favorite gymnasts ever...

I wasn't born yet to go see this but my parents were here

[peej0625]

i used to have a crush on her back when i was still on grade school..

[ScumOfCaligula]

I watched this live; and I remember I timed my orgasm perfectly with the end of the routine.

[atirgi1]

love it! why cant we see this passionate fun routine in elite gymnastics anymore :P

[dalmationham]

@jgonz185 lolz my dawes is still available tho. ha!

[liljayyo1]

They just don't make floor routines like these anymore smhh there is no more fun and energy Now r.i.p Artistic gymnastics

[jgonz185]

So it turns out I didn't end up marrying her like I had planned.

[kamwrites]

I'd hate to have been the gymnast on the beam at that time.

[AngelaMort]

That Olympic games had the best US female gym team ever.

[badinho500]

me encanto verla en atlanta y aun me sigue esa sensacion de exitacion verla....

[lindiuxlinda]

tiene el estilo de nadia comaneci

[potocatepetl]

@lindiuxlinda Well, she had the same coaches and she had romanian origins (her parents are romanians). Might be this ;)

[donignacio2000]

I had a thing for her when I was in middle school... Now that makes me feel creepy.

[tatulover2120]

what was her score?

[Tamarashadow]

@tatulover2120 9.837 :)

[faeryquene]

I will always believe this should have won bronze in finals. :)

[kevin122780]

Im 29 now and i loved Dominique back around 94-97 until all the things that happen with her dad and bella,She was one if the best Gymnast ever but was over shadowed by Kerri Strug.But in my eyes she will always be the hardest working gymnast in US history!!!!

[portugali2011]

i really like moceanu bak then.

[meaghan6784]

I must have watched this a hundred times as a kid on an old recorded VHS tape!!! I was 12 and remember this Olympics so vividly!! My friends and I had all of the 96 Olympic routines memorized!! Dominique Moceanu was amazing!! :)

[xsurfx123]

My mom named me after her((:

[RDELAPLAZA]

She was soooooo beautiful, and always had a beautiful smile.

[gugymnast101]

favorite floor routine of all time(:

[Neuhaus96]

what was her score

[BravesGurl1983]

very strategic FX music that year. lol

[tatianacastellote]

I just can say: WOW

[TsubasaDreams]

@aftermath9012 It's just a double turn. It's a B.

[TsubasaDreams]

There so much joy in this routine, you can see it in her smile, her choreography, even in her run. I adore this and I keep coming back to it. This was easily one of the best routines of the Games, if not the year.

[TheLeaLatex]

she is reaaallyy goood! oh my god, woow!

[MeredithOD]

I remember when this aired for the first time! My favorite athlete performing a floor routine to my favorite genre of music! When I was a kid, my fave part was 1:01 - 1:03 lol I did that all the time :P

[jmkgraceofgod]

@MeredithOD OMG me too :) I actually was looking for this video just to watch that part. I don't think I realized it was this song though which I've heard the full version of just a couple years ago and LOVE!

[missdree1]

Ma préférée xxx

[snoopsters933]

Wasn't she only like 14 in the Olympics? And then after she had this court battle with her mom and dad?

[snoopsters933]

Wasn't she only like 14 in the Olympics? And then after she had this court battle with her mom and dad?

[laughandlove2]

@snoopsters933 Yep, she was 14 here, but the court battle happened a couple of years later in 1998. :)

[ChristineTheHippie]

@laughandlove2 Was there an age limit back then?

[laughandlove2]

@ChristineTheHippie You had to be turning 15 within the calendar year, whereas now the rule is 16.

[metodi123]

This is when I fell in love for the first time. I was 11.

[redneck16d]

@metodi123 Me too...I was 16

[veevee305]

The routine was dynamic and fun to watch, but she probably lost some points to the judges. Her landings at the end of her tumbling showed lack of control, and bouncing out of a tumble like on her third pass had to hurt her ankles and knees too. Still, great routine and a charismatic gymnast.

[HIVisaLIE]

she is HOT

[shawnjohnsonlover12]

@gymnastsings123 She was 14 or 15 i htink 14 tho

[TheMeganator94]

gave me the chills every time i watch it. favorite gymnast of all time.. she is so original and ENJOYS what she is doing and SMILES. nowadays gymnasts only tumble, no dance, and they never smile. it is taken way to seriously

[actingmaniac234]

Wow she is AMAZING!!!! I remember when i did gymnastics i loved her!!! Still do! :D

[xGymnasticsBlossomx]

I LOVE HER!!

[peaceluvcheer97]

I got to meet her once at a meet she was soooo nice

[xrarelightx]

I remember her. She was my favorite gymnast growing up. ^.^ I am so glad that people remember her because I couldn't find her anywhere until today.

[irishpanic]

i had such a crush on her way back then. the 3 ppl who put thumbs down need 2 be shot.

[jfluter]

@irishpanic They don't need to be shot. They just missed the thumbs up button on accident from being so impressed with the routine.

[1996gymnasticsfan]

Let's go sissy (I pretend)

[MichaelaLeach]

Not only is she nearly perfect but boy can she work a crowd!!! Every eye was on her!

[hiphopgrl82]

I NEVER get enough of this routine! I've loved it since I first saw it that late night in 1996.

[anulay]

Completely epic. 

[gymnasticsdreaming]

Wow. She is amazing. She is so dedicated to gymnastics it's inspiring.

[milovela1983]

AMAZING!!!!!!!!1

[cairsahr64]

See the intensity in that girl's eyes at the beginning ? She was reaching for the top. (No Joke!) And she was still beautiful throughout. There is no other D.M.; just one...

[NurdyRhythm]

This is like, THE routine that brightens a gymnastics fan's day when you're feeling down, haha.

[janajuggles]

I'd almost forgot how preciously and ridiculously adorable this routine was!!! What fun to see it again just now!

[DomiMoceanu]

Thanks everyone!

[lilypod3]

What a cutie! Beautiful! I ♥ her

[LMA629]

@flexdapex and i hope you were a 14 yr old boy then bc if not, you're a perv and a pedophile. not to mention the fact that she looks like she's 10. though she is adorable

[dn32585]

i remember watching this when i was in 2nd grade me and my mom watched the gymnastics portion everyday it was on. she was one of our favorites especially her beam exercise amazing.

[MrEdgar6360]

amo esta rutina, por ella vi los juegos olimpicos de ese año y me enamore de la gimnasia, ella era tan linda, bueno lo sigue siendo pero esa rutina siempre la recordare

[dancermegan14]

This is the best floor exercise routine EVER! I remember the first time I saw it in '96.

[dannyradar]

its just so freaking cute! so fun and youthful. exactly how a girl her age should be. its nice to see that side of her. i know it was hard for her to grow up in the training, pressures, expectations, and everything that she did so its nice to really see her be a kid for once, every time she takes the floor. wonderfully choreographed.

[NurdyRhythm]

@dannyradar Totally agree. The choreography was not only fun and age-appropriate, it really made the audience go wild and participate in clapping along to the music (she even seems to encourage it that move before the last pass). All elite routines should fit a gymnasts personality like this. If the gymnast is having fun, the crowd will have fun, and that can be a major boost in confidence.

[armerojlgl]

wonderfull!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

[81broncoman]

Easily the most badass 90 pound girl in history.

[Daphnouune1696]

This routine makes me smile, each time. :)

[slkbeambabe07]

you never hear fun music anymore in elite competition :(

[DomiMoceanu]

Thank you for the kind thoughts and all your warm well wishes. -Domi

[lilypod3]

ill never 4 get this floor exercise!

[cairsahr64]

After that first tumbling pass, at 0:18 - 0:21, she moved gingerly at first, as if her leg may have been a bother. Glad it wasn't.

[angelloveboyz]

she was 13 at the time while competing in the olympics , and can someone tell me why they want to take back the medal from china because the girl was 14? they were saying she was too young but Domonique Moceanu was 13

[EverythingElse723]

@angelloveboyz before 2000, you could compete if you were going to be turning 14 in the olympic year so moceanu was about as young as you could get at these olympics. at the 2000 olympics the new rule where you had to be turning 16 that year to compete was implemented. so the argument is that the chinese were only 14 when they needed to be 16. if the old rules still existed, they would have been fine. they are just trying to protect young gymnasts from being expolited.

[angelloveboyz]

@EverythingElse723 ok thanks but they are making it a big deal like they are cheaters and they should be nailed to the cross, when really a little girl has beaten them in the game. lol!!! well thanks for the infor.

[QueenieQue]

@EverythingElse723 You are both wrong. Before the 2000 Olympics, you had to turn 15 in the Olympic year. Moceanu was never 13 at the Olympics; she won the 95 National Champs when she was 13, but she was 14 at the Olympics and turned 15 in September of 96. Now you have to turn 16 in the Olympic year.

[QueenieQue]

@angelloveboyz Moceanu was not 13 at the Olympics, she was 14. Also, smaller, younger gymnasts actually have a physical advantage because they can twist faster, get more air lift, and are more flexible. Being beaten by a "little girl" is not a fair comparison to gymnastics, because the "little girls" actually have the advantage in everything but time in training.

[laurent01]

@angelloveboyz she was 14...and the age limit wasn't 16 then.

[angelloveboyz]

@laurent01 ok thank you, thank you all!!!

[mmoran3]

@angelloveboyz she was 14 its in her book,, you had to be 15 or turning 15 that year to compete,, she turned 15 shortly after the olympics

[37tonya]

@angelloveboyz

Domi was actually 14 in 1996 and the rules stated you had to have turned

15 by the end of the year and she did. However, in 2000 you had to have turned 16 and the Chinese gymnast would not have done so,.

Hope this explains alot.

[angelloveboyz]

@37tonya yes it does thanks

[EIZvideos]

this is really good! but if you notice... she puts her head back.. ALOT

[zeldafreak701]

Don't the gymnasts get distracted by the other performers? Just saying...

[cairsahr]

It seems as if tinkiiibeleve has removed his/her comment at around the time I responded. But why ? You had a valid point. Sometimes, these young girls are pushed too hard, and not all of them can handle it. If Dominique was not made of iron, so to speak, she might have fallen too. But I do not like to think of it. These girls are very young, and should not be pushed too hard. They are not in the military, after all! But that is how too many coaches seem to think...

[cairsahr]

tinkiibelive said "this girl is drilled, beaten, very hungry and tired." You are probably right. But did you see her eyes just before the routine began ? Has there ever been such *fire* before, in a young girl who is "drilled, beaten, " etc ? I think that she really sacrificed herself, in order to give Team USA a chance to win. Listen to the commentary; the Russians fell on the beam, and here DM is succeeding. I think that it is at this point that team USA really went ahead of the Russians.

[cairsahr]

This routine is unforgettable. God bless DM for being so adorable. Try watching this video with the audio turned off, while listening to Jacksoul's "Can't stop" at the same time, Seems like a perfect fit...

All the time I am wondering whether Dominique's leg was giving her pain. Look at the bandages! Every time she landed hard in this routine (and you can hear the thumps), you might wonder whether her leg might give up at any moment. I should know, since I have had a similar injury.

[95stangdude]

I used to be in love with her, lol

[u229758]

She was compared to Nadia. She was sparky, carismatic, adorable. Her moves and dances blew everyone away. But she did not have the achievements of Nadia. That's why Nadia is still the world's sweetheart. But watching Dominique would get me goosebumps. God bless the magnificent 7.

[jlively1128]

I remember watching this with my parents....she is one of the best, if not the best. Thank you for posting it.

[Ceredwin0]

i wish i was as good as her. she is tha BEST !!!! i love her so much !! i want to go to her gym !!

[all4uanew]

what was her sv?

[lChupacabra]

She always nailed the floor exercise.

[Tilara]

she was very graceful. she looks a little like oana ban

[2403328]

damn you dominique.. you were suppse to marry me HA!!

[jordyalvin]

Great !!! Dominique Moceanu, but... Nadia Comaneci is the best.

[u229758]

I would not compare them. I think things were different in the 70's. Comaneci was ahead of he rest in 76. Even Olga Korbut wasn't as good as Nadia. Dominique had that spark and technique that Nadia had and gymnastics got very competitive by the 90's. Of course the impact that Nadia caused was for the ages, Dominique blew everyone away. I think it was because a female gymnast had not caused such sensation since Nadia.

[jordyalvin]

I agree with that, each caused a pleasant sensation or respective time; greetings!

[squirrelypox]

I still get chills when I watch this routine. It was so perfectly choreographed for the her, her age, and the context. She makes it so playful.

[vitalis976]

ke pedros... alguien sabe como se llama la musica de fondo ke baila esta ruka????????????????????? diganme porfavor

[keli59]

the devil went down to geroge

[varso76]

Cuando el Diablo bajo a Georgia.

es una polka,

incluso hasta caballo dorado la toca en su primer disco, ojala te sirva el dato..

[vitalis976]

oh pues muchas gracias

[GymFloozie]

Little Moceanu in 1996 possibly knocked more people off the beam all by herself than the Swine flu.

[wwefan116]

Haha, thats so funny, but true.

[swim4scofield]

I love how she smiles at 1:26

[SahTrew]

NEVER get tired of this! God bless Moceanu, she make so much people smile, she deserve all the best in her life.

[ajhornell]

in a way she reminds me of oksana omelianchik

[GymFloozie]

If she could have stayed healthy and kept her career through Sydney and maybe beyond, she could have been one of the best floor workers of all time. Even her compulsory FX in Atlanta was gorgeous.

[chickennoodlesoop23]

hey, i know her, if you dont believe me go on my myspace page and look for

-♥-pArTy PeRsOn-♥-

there will be a picture of two girls wearing sun glasses:)

[tatulover2120]

she looks as if she is having so much fun!

[drumology2001]

I am the same age as her, and I was GLUED to the the TV during the '96 Olympics. She was my first celebrity crush! I bought her autobiography and everything! I remember being totally heartbroken a few months later because I wasn't able to go to the Champions Tour when it came through Spokane. It was like the world was ending - I had it bad for her! She's so talented and adorable, though - how could you not just be in love?!?! :D

[pokamader]

I'm pretty sure everybody fell in love with her!

[ThEoLyMpIcFaN123]

best themed floor routine ever!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ItsNastiaFan101]

This routine is iconic =)

[chrismo1984]

I agree!! This is the routine that made me fall in love with gymnastics!!

[kiolkool]

she flew on that rudi!

[courtneygirl88]

she inspired me so much when i was a gymnast... i got to meet her one time and she was just soo nice...

[fitoysr]

the song is gh3 vs lou guitar battle lol

[ZONANARANJA]

maravillosaaaaaaa

[carriemydear]

i love how she chose devil went down to georgia because that's where the olympics weree (:

[tmwalkerm]

@carriemydear yeah, she knew the crowds would go nuts and she fed off that energy, definitely one of the best moments of the entire games :).

[tatulover2120]

the magnificent 7!! amazing!

[DUNKINLO]

totally killed podkepayeva!!!

[babygirl13170]

loveeee

[showjumpa87]

love her

[gabryelsl]

very

[McGloney]

why did she ever break up with me? i dont know. :¬|

[griffen6455]

what level are you?

[jewelsbabe9]

I like that she smiles the whole time and really shows she is confident and loves gymnastics. I know the presure is tough, but I wish the gymnasts today would do that!

[eMthegymnast]

who cares if shanon had the only individualmedal. the team gold was enough!

[ipete05]

I think you mean Shannon won the only Gold individual medal. Amy Chow got silver in uneven bars, and Dominique Dawes received a bronze for floor.

[eMthegymnast]

OOOOOOH YAH! OOPS.

[largec]

Do you remember which gymnast took the gold in the 96 olympics in the floor exercise?

[NewMinako]

Lilia Podkopayeva :)

[botroyliz]

lilia pokodpayeva of the ukraine

[tcgymnast88]

yea me too. our gym is alot like that. on my level (level 7) we all know a part in evryones routine and we line up along the floor at meets and do it. we get some rally high scores. do u do gymnastics?

[Blanqui02]

que bella, es mi favorita

[marybelenus]

she is my idol

[AngelaMort]

Esa niña era un encanto!! Aun me acuerdo cuando vi en vivo todo el All Around, por aparatos y las finales!! AMO LA GIMNASIA!!! (de tonta q yo lo dejo xD)

[tomsk14]

AND, if you watch her team opt, her AA and her EF, she staggers forward on it every single time, as did Elise, as did Dawes ( to name but a few), Bela should have spotted it didnt work and changed it....

[tomsk14]

I dont mean to sound like a bitch, but all through these games and onwards, americans insist on doing r/o b/h into a 2 1/2 twist without a punchfront...it just doesnt work...it looks wrong and its almost impossible to land properly due to the foward propulsion!...watch the other u.s routines, they all do it.

Ah well.

Still gorgeous routine...and so young, 14, Im so old!

[Prodn2000]

Who besides Elise Ray in the 1997-2000 cycle or Dawes from 1992-1995 did just a 5/2.

[tomsk14]

what is a 5/2? and you wished love, Im telling you that Ive seen plenty do it over the years, I dont keep count of it....but I have seen it too much...thankfully its stopped...

[Penguin888]

5/2 is a 2.5 twist.

[Prodn2000]

Some call a 2 1/2 twist at 5/2. It is simplistic, I guuss, but I will always call a 2 1/2 a 5/2 or a Rudi a 3/2.

[tomsk14]

Oh okay do you mean 5/2 as in a 520 degree turn?

[Prodn2000]

No. A 5/2 is 2 1/2 twist. Just like a 3/1 is a triple twist. I think the code still lists turns by the degrees. 720, 360, 180 etc.

[Lnicker]

Well I remember she use to do a punchfront out of the 2 and a half twist but then she got rid of it...

[piskoun]

I just feel sorry for the Russians on beam at the same time...

[oubeauty2008]

That rule was put into place after the '96 Games.

[ram83160]

How old was Dominique at the 96 games?

[oubeauty2008]

she was 14, going on 15 I believe

[ram83160]

I thought you had to be 16 to compete in the Games?

[jezmerallia]

That rule didn't come into effect until after this Olympics.