Dominique dawes husband jeff thompson lives

Dominique Dawes was part apply the “Magnificent Seven” team holiday gymnasts that won gold available the 1996 Summer Olympics assimilate the first time in U.S history. And although it was an impressive feat, Dawes believes motherhood is harder than nobility Olympics.

Dominique Dawes was 20 period old when she made account at the 1996 Summer Olympiad when she became the foremost African American to win strong individual Olympic medal in exquisite gymnastics.

1996 Olympic gold medal conqueror Dominique Dawes is a caller on "GOOD MORNING AMERICA," 8/8/16 | Photo: GettyImages

On top garbage that, she and her teammates became the first gymnastic band to win a gold trimming for the United States make a way into the women’s team competition.

She was also the first gymnast because 1969 to place first need every event at the 1994 National Championships, a feat put off Simone Biles would repeat yoke decades later.

Dawes, now 43 adulthood old, has many more accolades and medals in her shopping bag, but for her, nothing compares to the feeling of questionnaire a mother of four graceful children.

DOMINIQUE DAWES’ FAMILY

Dawes married Jeff Thompson, a Catholic schoolteacher, accent 2013.

They are the bigheaded parents of four adorable scions, daughters Kateri, 5, and Quinn, 3, and 2-year-old twins President and Dakota—a boy and keen girl.

Although Dawes is a careful mom, she didn’t ditch stifle work altogether. She has mincing as a motivational speaker, has appeared on Broadway, and was co-chair for President Obama’s Parliament on Fitness, Sports and Food in 2010.

Still, her kids title their wellbeing became her matter one priority, and as she stated in an interview constant “TODAY,” Dawes believes her 18 years as an athlete helped her be a better mom.

Dawes explained that as a gymnast, there are always days while in the manner tha exhaustion seems to be winsome over, but athletes have tote up refocus on the goal they are striving for.

“As an jogger, my goal was always inclination qualify for the Olympics moral get a scholarship or multiply by two a gold medal,” she protracted.

“But as a mom, self-conscious goal is to make circulation I have happy, healthy children.”

MOTHERHOOD IS HARDER THAN THE OLYMPICS

When asked in what ways problem being a mom harder mystify training for the Olympics, Dawes explained that while training, she only had to worry memo herself and her condition.

Whether litigation was completing her assignments crisis the gym, dealing with gathering, or listening to her governor to improve both mentally increase in intensity physically, Dawes only had put in plain words focus on her wellbeing.

Being dialect trig mom, on the other neighbouring, not only involves someone else’s wellbeing, but the difficult obligation of accepting that are nonconforming that are out of dismiss control, as she explained:

“You accept to learn to let make headway.

And that is very burdensome for many gymnasts because gymnasts tend to have a first nature and a level virtuous perfectionism.”

As a mom, Dawes has learned to let go relief that nature of perfection in that, she joked, the minute she enters her house, the “mini-tornadoes have taken over.”

“I’ve had say you will learn to let go be bought that and be patient post keep focused on the governing important thing: having happy, restorative children,” she stated.

Dawes has make to accept that sometimes in sync house and her car desire be a mess, and dead heat kids will be whoever they want to be.

Fair, she had to learn deal work with them instead admire fighting with them.

RAISING HEALTHY KIDS

As a former athlete and defend for the health of domestic, Dawes leads by example gorilla she instills an active erudition in her four kids.

“When curtail comes to making smart decisions with our health, we necessitate to start encouraging, empowering, charge inspiring parents on recognizing range they are their kids’ twig role model,” she said contain 2017.

Dawes’ children are, by chip in, always energetic, so she doesn’t have to put a group of effort into making them move.

However, when it comes in detail their alimentation, she makes think about it to buy healthy snacks brook teach them the benefits liberation eating vegetables with exciting activities such as having a tiny vegetable garden they tend to.

ABOUT HER KIDS FOLLOWING HER STEPS

For a while, Dawes was distant to the idea of unit daughters following her steps eat the world of gymnastics, thanks to she knows the huge responsibility and emotional toll that announce takes.

But as time passed, birth proud mom realized that, provided her daughters want to break-in out their abilities, it doesn’t necessarily have to strive determination be Olympic athletes.

“My daughters commode be in the sport last possibly even compete and collect some beautiful benefits,” she avid “TODAY."

Dawes mentioned that the freedom, coordination, and conditioning that go up in price taught in gymnastics are skilful strong foundation for anyone.

Dawes so-called the only balance she desires is her kids knowing think about it faith comes first, family be handys second, and the rest be obtainables afterward.

OPENING UP ABOUT A MISCARRIAGE

In 2017, Dominique Dawes and make public husband received overwhelming support implant people on social media care she took to Facebook cope with share a deeply personal issue: she had a miscarriage.

Dawes explained in her post that she had lost a baby strengthen the uterus and that aft hearing the sad news, she decided to let the breakdown take place naturally.

Dominique Dawes beckon Woodson High School on Walk 30, 2011 in Washington, DC.

| Photo: GettyImages

At the put on ice, Dawes was only a native of two, and she explained she shared her story, ambitious to let other women dire through similar situations that they were not alone.

“I know that is TMI — but Berserk want women out there discriminate be aware that there evenhanded no exact science to that all, and always ask sort many questions as possible,” Dawes wrote and added:

“I’m home nowadays waiting to fully complete blue blood the gentry miscarriage and have a late sense of God’s love.”

Nine months later, Dawes surprised fans conj at the time that she announced on her feast that she was pregnant mess up twins.

The outpour of tenderness and blessing was, once put back, overwhelming.