In the summer of 1996 it was bigger than Friends and better than the new reality show The real world. The best show in the world was the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, and the main event, filled with glitter, scrunchies and killer quad muscles, was the USA Women’s Gymnastics competition.
Long before “Yes we can,” America’s battle cry became simply “You can do it” – the words coach Bela Károly spoke as 18-year-old Kerri Strug tried to stick the landing on the final jump with a badly injured ankle. Hang in there: In front of 32,000 fans and a worldwide television audience, Krug’s remarkable act of perseverance, athleticism and courage earned her the first-ever team gold medal in women’s gymnastics, leaving her behind arch-rivals Russia and Romania. The team, known as the Magnificent Seven, went down in sports history and became true American heroines: Wheaties boxes, Show tonight appearances, Sports illustrated covers, visits to the White House and all that.
Of course, a lot has changed in women’s gymnastics since the Magnificent Seven – which also included Dominique Dawes, Shannon Miller, Amanda Borden, Dominque Moceanu, Jaycie Phelps and Amy Chow – made Olympic Games history 28 years ago. And many of those changes have led to major reckonings: In 2016, the Larry Nassar sex abuse scandal rocked the sport; accusations against famous coaches Márta and Bela Károly ultimately led them close their training farm and flee the country. And who could forget Simone Biles’ meteoric rise to global gymnastics stardom, or her groundbreaking decision to withdraw from the 2020 Tokyo Games to prioritize her mental health?
Regardless of what has happened since — or what the pressure placed on Strug and her teammates looks under today’s microscope — there is still no doubt that the 1996 U.S. Olympic Gymnastics team left an indelible mark on American sports history and has inspired an entire generation of young people, athletes and athletes. otherwise. As Strug has done said of the moment: “It was a catalyst for women in sports. We were the first generation to really see the success of Title IX. Since those Games, progress has only increased and female athletes now have the opportunity to do whatever they want.”
Here’s a look at where each member of the Magnificent Seven is now.