Hi! My name is Kristen. I'm 16 years old and I'm a junior at an all-girls school. My favorite things to do are go to the movies, go to the mall, watch gymnastics, be with my friends, and of course, work on this page. I run outdoor, indoor track, and cross country, and I play softball. I took gymnastics when I was like 5 and 6. I passed level one, and then we moved and I sort of dropped the sport. I really couldn't be gymnast anyhow. I'm very unflexible, and too tall.
Anyhow, Dominique first caught my attention just before the '96 Olympics. I saw an article on her in 'Teen Magazine. I loved her from the start. I watched every single minute of gymnastics in Atlanta, men's and women's. I was so happy when they won gold, even though she did fall. Then I was really upset in the all-around because Dom didn't do her best and Shannon Miller and Dominiqe Dawes both messed up. I almost cried when she fell on the beam, but I was happy for Shannon. Then on the floor, she turned in a great performance, but so did the other three girls. (I think Lilia Podkopaieva won, then Mo Huilan, and then Dominiqe Dawes, Nique came in fourth.)
I love gymnastics because of the danger and athleticism. It takes so much strength and power to perform some
of the moves. The gymnast also has to be able to combine dance and acrobatics into a routine that is simply amazing.
There's just something about tumbling back and forth on a 40'x40' mat, flipping down a 4" wide beam, swinging back
and forth between two bars, or exploding off a vaulting horse into a series of extremely difficult twists and flips to
land perfectly and throw your arms proudly into the air; knowing that you've done the best that you could for yourself,
your coaches, and of course, your country.
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