Editing Dominique Dawes (section)

===1996===
Dawes struggled through a difficult 1995 riddled by wrist and ankle injuries. She finished fourth at nationals and was forced to sit out the World Championships that year. At the [[1996 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships|1996 World Championships]], Dawes missed out on a medal on the uneven bars but tied Liu Xuan for a bronze medal on the balance beam.<ref name=nyt1>[https://www.nytimes.com/1996/07/28/sports/atlanta-day-9-gymnastics-team-gold-for-dawes-was-only-part-of-plan.html "Team Gold for Dawes Was Only Part of Plan"] Christopher Clarey, ''The New York Times,'' July 28, 1996</ref><ref name=nyt2>[https://www.nytimes.com/1996/04/21/sports/olympics-competitors-keeping-olympic-test-in-mind.html "Competitors Keeping Olympic Test in Mind"] Christopher Clarey, ''The New York Times,'' April 21, 1996</ref> At the 1996 U.S. National Championships Dawes swept all four event finals for the second time in her career making her the first gymnast ever to accomplish this feat twice. Dawes also finished first at the Olympic trials, earning a berth on the 1996 Olympic team at the age of 19.<ref name=usagbio /> Dawes planned to attend [[Stanford University]] in fall 1995 but could not receive an athletic scholarship as she turned pro to train for the 1996 Summer Olympics|1996 Olympics.