Dominique Moceanu reminisces her historic all-around triumph at the National Gymnastics Championships as a 13-year-old

By Janhavi Shinde

Modified Nov 22, 2024 03:23 GMT

Dominique Moceanu recently reflected on the 1995 National Gymnastics Championships, which etched her name in the history books for becoming the youngest all-around champion. Moceanu achieved the feat at the age of 13.

Moceanu displayed exceptional skills at the Championships held from August 16 to 19, in New Orleans, Louisiana. She scored 78.450 points to clinch the all-around title, after outpacing Shannon Miller and Joycie Phelps, who posted 78.250 and 77.730 points, respectively.

In the two rounds of the vault routine, she registered 9.850 and 9.900 points, while in the uneven bars, she scored 9.725 and 9.825. In the two rounds of balance beam, the former gymnast clinched 9.750 and 9.850 points and bagged 9.800 points in the two rounds of floor routines.

With the 2025 U.S. Gymnastics Championships poised to return to New Orleans, Moceanu shared a video of her 1995 Championship floor routine and acknowledged how much her life has changed since then.

"I was 13," Moceanu wrote. "Life has unfolded in countless ways since this moment, each chapter filled with its own joys, challenges, & growth. What a memory — one that reminds me how far we’ve come and how much we’ve yet to discover."

At the same championships, she also earned the uneven bars title by posting 9.912 points. She finished second in the floor event by registering 9.800 points and clinched third place in the vault routine after posting 9.756 points.

"Flaws that left a lasting impact" - Dominique Moceanu offers condolences to former coach Bela Karolyi

Dominique Moceanu recently paid her tribute to the former coach Bela Karolyi who passed away on November 15, 2024, at 82.

The gymnast who began training under him at the age of 10, reflected on his demanding training approach, stating that although his criticism was harsh to handle, the challenging experiences ultimately helped her grow and shape her journey.

"Bela Karolyi was a man whose influence on my life and the sport of elite gymnastics is undeniably significant," Moceanu wrote. "He was a complex individual, embodying a mix of strengths and flaws that left a lasting impact on those around him."

She added:

"His harsh words and critical demeanor often weighed heavily on me. While our relationship was fraught with difficulty, some of these moments of hardship helped me forge and define my own path."

Dominique Moceanu contributed to the USA team's gold medal at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.