"We love you Dominique!" scream hundreds of young gymnasts gathered around a huge mat, eyes glued on their idol.

Dominique Moceanu, former Olympian, is dressed in a silver metallic body suit.  She flashes her thousand-watt smile, and silently mouths, "I love you too!" With a split second shift of concentration, she begins her run:  round off, back handspring, double back.  Even without the twists and layouts of her gold medal days, the crowd collectively inhales then releases wild applause.  And this is just the warm up.

At 22 years old, Moceanu is now a University of Akron student, and starring in an independent film shooting in the area this month.  She hasn't performed in two years.  Injuries kept her out of the 2000 Olympics, and recent surgeries limit what she's willing to risk.  She spent three months in the gym getting in shape so she could surprise the 800 attendees of her first gymnastics invitational held in Cincinnati earlier this year. 

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appeared in March 2004 issue of Akron Life and Leisure