What happened to Dominique Dawes? What’s Jackie Joyner-Kersee doing these days? Find out what your favorite past Olympians are up to!
1. THEN: Dominique Dawes
Dominique Dawes was a member of the ‘Magnificent Seven’ at the 1996 Summer Olympics. The team made history when they scored USA’s first team medal in the all-around competition.
2. NOW: Dominique Dawes
After a long gymnastics career and more Olympic medals, Dominique has shifted her focus to physical education and activism.
3. THEN: Jackie Joyner-Kersee
Jackie Joyner-Kersee is one of the greatest athletes of all time in the heptathlon and the long jump. In her last Olympics in 1996, she injured her hamstring and was able to still win the bronze medal in the competition with her amazing long jump.
4. NOW: Jackie Joyner-Kersee
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After track, Jackee attempted to play professional basketball which didn’t turn out too well. She returned to track and won at the Goodwill Games in 1998 before her retirement in 2000.
5. THEN: Tommie Smith and John Carlos
Track and field racers Tommie Smith and John Carlos gave their iconic Black Power salute at the 1968 games. This was the first political demonstration ever at the Olympics. Tommie Smith would later say that the gesture was for all human rights.
6. NOW: Tommie Smith and John Carlos
Since 1968, Tommie and John have committed their lives to human rights activism, athletics and education.
7. THEN: Carl Lewis
Carl Lewis is one of the most decorated track and field racers of all time. He has won 10 medals with nine of them being gold.
8. NOW: Carl Lewis
Carl retired after the 1996 Olympic games and appeared in numerous TV shows since.
9. THEN: Tonya Harding
Ice skating’s underdog, Tonya Harding, became infamous when she ordered a hit out on Nancy Kerrigan to take her out of the 1994 Winter Olympics. Tonya eventually would plead guilty and the incident would mark the end of her professional skating career.
10. NOW: Tonya Harding
Drama would continue to follow Tonya Harding after the 1994 incident. She made a sex tape with her boyfriend in the 1990s and later became a professional boxer.
11. THEN: Michael Johnson
“The Man With The Golden Shoes” was the first person to win gold in the 200m and 400m at the 1996 Olympics.
12. NOW: Michael Johnson
Michael Johnson currently works in athletics as a coach, a sports commentator and is very outwardly spoken against doping in sports.
13. THEN: Kerri Strug
Kerri Strug made history when she nailed her vault in the women’s gymnastics team all-around competition at the 1996 Atlanta games. Despite hurting her foot in her first attempt on the apparatus, she landed her second attempt and secured Team USA’s first team gold in women’s gymnastics at the Olympics.
14. NOW: Kerri Strug
After the 1996 Olympics Kerri retired and went on to have a normal life of college, work and has occasionally appeared as a sports commentator.
15. THEN: Bruce Jenner
Bruce Jenner’s world record breaking performance in the decathlon at the 1976 Olympics would make him a national hero and athlete of the year.
16. NOW: Caitlyn Jenner
A lot has changed since 1976. Jenner has had families, TV stardom and most recently a sex change operation after coming out as transgender.
17. THEN: Lisa Leslie
Lisa Leslie is one of the most decorated women’s basketball players in Olympic history. She has won four gold medals with Team USA.
18. NOW: Lisa Leslie
Post-basketball, Lisa Leslie became a successful model and actress.
19. THEN: Michelle Kwan and Tara Lipinski
One of America’s biggest Olympics rivalries played out at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan. USA’s Tara Lipinski and Michelle Kwan duked it out, completing almost near-perfect routines. Tara edged out Michelle in the end for a gold medal while Michelle took silver.
20. NOW: Michelle Kwan and Tara Lipinski
Michelle Kwan went on to win more medals, world championships and became the most decorated US figure skater of all time. Since retiring from the sport, she’s been involved in politics, working in diplomacy.
Tara Lipinski’s career was cut short by injury but she’s still been in the spotlight as a commentator and analyst for figure skating.
21. THEN: Nancy Kerrigan
America’s ice princess was on track to win the gold in figure skating at the 1994 Olympics until Nancy Kerrigan put a hit out on her earlier in the year that severely damaged her knee. Nancy made a strong comeback and was able to win the silver medal.
22. NOW: Nancy Kerrigan
Nancy retired after the 1994 Olympics and went on to perform in exhibition skating tours and started an ice skating clothing line.
23. THEN: Greg Louganis
Greg Louganis overcame the odds at the 1988 Seoul games when he struck his head on the diving board during competition. He continued to compete with a concussion and won gold in his event. What people didn’t know at the time is that Louganis was HIV positive. Even though his blood entering the pool posed no risk of transmittal of the virus, the public reaction was still negative in a HIV/AIDS-phobic era.
24. NOW: Greg Louganis
Greg Louganis is now a LGBT activist and has worked as a diving coach.
