Just days before the start of the 2024 Summer Olympics, Montgomery County unveiled a statue in honor of one of the area’s own Olympians, three-time gold medalist Dominique Dawes. Community members flocked to Silver Spring Recreation and Aquatic Center (SSRAC) on July 23 not only to take part in the monumental moment commemorating Dawes, but also glean inspiration from the celebrated athlete and Montgomery County native..
“I grew up minutes down the road so it’s truly an honor. It’s very humbling,” said Dawes.
For Dawes, 47, the statue is not just about celebrating her work– it’s for the young people who can be inspired through learning about the gymnast’s life and motivated to pursue their own dreams despite obstacles.
“It’s wonderful just to know that when young boys and girls walk by that statue they’ll have some seeds of inspiration and empowerment planted in them. They’ll read a little bit about my journey, and, hopefully with that, understand and realize that anything is possible for them,” she said. “There were many highs and lows in my career but it was the journey along the way that got me to where I am today and I just want them to realize that it is possible for them as well.”
Born in Silver Spring, Dominique Dawes is the first Black woman to be a part of the United States Olympic gymnastics team and win an individual Olympic medal. She won gold medals at the Barcelona 1992, Atlanta 1996, and Sydney 2000 games.
Having taken her skills around the world, Dawes, a 2019 Montgomery County Sports Hall of Fame inductee, has sewn into the next generation of athletes from the DMV. She is the owner and CEO of Dominique Dawes Gymnastics and Ninja Academy with two locations in Montgomery County– Clarksville and Rockville— and plans to open a new site in Howard County’s Columbia, Maryland opening late this summer.
Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich explained that the Dawes statue unveiling was not only important to elevate gymnastics, but to inspire the community overall.
“The fact that she was the first Black gymnast says a lot about how much they managed to keep people out of the sport. And so, she had to go through a lot to get there,” Elrich told The Informer. “Today she mentioned that 80% of the athletes competing are people of color and from the United States. So we’ve gone from very much exclusivity to much more inclusion. It’s a big journey for us and you know we want kids to come in here and see her statue and say ‘I can be that.’”
Montgomery County Residents Share Memories, Celebrate Dawes Success
Many community residents who were in attendance of the statue unveiling share unique connections with the three-time Olympian.
Silver Spring native Brenda Boykins has been following Dawes throughout her career and is proud to see how far she’s come.
“Well, I have known about her ever since because she’s about the same age as my daughter. Actually her Grandfather lives across the street from me and so I’ve kinda followed her career and her accomplishments for a great part of her life,” Boykins continued. “We’re just so pleased that she’s so accomplished, and she’s done great things, and she’s a wonderful representative for women, for girls growing up now, and just for African Americans. She’s a standout, she is a model,” said Boykins.
Montgomery County resident Stephanie Sutton remembers a young Dawes in action.
“Dominique Dawes and my cousin were in the same gymnastics class together over in Takoma Park, Maryland. I remember her back then when I used to drop my cousin off at gymnastics. But I followed her throughout her whole career, watched her win her medals, very very proud of her. She inspired me to put my daughter in gymnastics,” Sutton shared.
Now Dawes looks forward to watching the next generation of gymnasts like barrier-breaker gymnast Simone Biles heading into her third Olympic games. She told The Informer she particularly appreciates the diversity on this year’s USA gymnastics team.
“This Olympic games could’ve been a 100% diverse team if Shilese Jones did not get injured or Skye Blakely did not get injured right around those Olympic Trials. But it’s diverse. I heard it’s 80% of a diverse team and that’s a stark difference than what I experienced at the ‘92, ‘96, and 2000 Olympic games. And, what I care about more is there’s gonna be young women and boys of color that are gonna watch the sport of gymnastics and realize that they too can possibly excel in this sport,” she explained.
“I am excited to cheer on Team USA. I’m gonna be in my living room with my four beautiful children and my husband, and we’re gonna be fans,” Dawes continued. “We’re gonna be there screaming at the television and telling them that they can make history and that they can bring home a gold medal. I’m pretty confident in the sport of gymnastics. If everyone keeps their head on right, they’re gonna bring home quite a bit of hardware.”
I remember the greatness of Dominique Dawes quite fondly. As a native of Washington DC, witnessing Olympic history made by a local young athlete and young woman, I was quite proud.