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Where Are The Magnificent 7 Now? The Olympic Team Has Done Amazing Things
Some athletes just stand out in your memory forever. And anyone who watched the 1996 Olympics likely remembers the Magnificent 7, the first U.S. women's gymnastics team to take home the gold in that sport. Girls all over America had posters on their walls of these awesome women — the OG girl squad if you will. But like everyone else, even gold medalists had to grow up and leave the '90s behind. So where are the Magnificent 7 now, and are they still involved in the sport?
Although you could basically retire after earning a gold medal, these women are still major movers and shakers. Amanda Borden, Amy Chow, Dominique Dawes, Shannon Miller, Dominique Moceanu, Jaycie Phelps, and Kerri Strug are still revered athletes and role models. Sometimes they even reunite as a team, such as when the Magnificent 7 was inducted into the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame Class of 2008, as noted in USA Gym. As you might imagine, they're still leading pretty impressive lives these days. Can you guess who went on to become a business owner, and who is a licensed physician? (I said they weren't slouches.) Recall your original squad goals and recapture the indelible spirit of the '96 Olympics by catching up with the modern-day Magnificent 7.
1Amanda Borden
Borden is still very much involved in gymnastics. She owns the Gold Medal Gymnastics Academy in Arizona, and she serves as a commentator on CBS Sports, Fox Sports, and ESPN. According to her Twitter, she's also a motivational speaker, wife, and mom.
2Amy Chow
Chow has racked up several lifetimes' worth of achievements. Her gymnastic career lasted for several more years, as she also competed in the 2000 Summer Olympics. In the meantime, she has taken an interest in competitive diving, according to Palo Alto Online. But her day job is pretty demanding, too: after graduating Stanford Medical School, she became a doctor of pediatrics and set up a private practice. She lives in northern California with her husband Jason Ho, who is an orthopedic surgeon.
3Dominique Dawes
Following her third Olympics in 2000, Dawes took a turn at acting — she has appeared in a production of Grease. These days, she is a motivational speaker who takes on speaking engagements and motivational coaching. She also acts as a gymnastics coach. According to her Twitter, she is also a wife and mother.
4Shannon Miller
After winning seven Olympic medals, Miller is still rocking. She serves as president of Shannon Miller Lifestyle: Health and Fitness for Women, as well as the Shannon Miller Foundation, which was created to help fight childhood obesity. She is also a motivational speaker, wife, and mom.
5Dominique Moceanu
Moceanu serves as a coach, and she also offers clinics and private lessons. She's also a New York Times bestseller. Her memoir, Off Balance, chronicles her life as a 14-year-old Olympian, as well as her discovery of a secret sister who also became an accomplished aerialist — despite being born without legs.
6Jaycie Phelps
Phelps is still a boss. She is owner and head coach of the Jaycie Phelps Athletic Center in Indianapolis.
7Kerri Strug
Yes, she was the one who hurt her ankle and was carried to the podium by her coach. According to People, these days Strug is a mom to Tyler Fischer and wife to attorney Robert Fischer III.
