Kerri Strug
Not all of our readers will remember Kerri Strug, member of the American gymnastic team’s Magnificent Seven, but most will remember the images that came out of the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, GA. A lot of pressure was riding on Strug as she went into the final rotation. America only had a 0.897 lead over the Russians. The first four vault landings of Strug’s teammates weren’t so clean. Dominique Moceanu, her teammate, had fallen not just once, but two times. Everything was riding on Strug’s final vault.
Kerri Strug
Making History
On her first landing, Strug fell wrong and hurt her ankle. The judges according awarded her 9.162. She then turned and asked her coach, Béla Károlyi, if she would have to vault again. He told her, “Kerri, we need you to go one more time. We need you one more time for the gold. You can do it, you better do it.” She landed perfectly, then instantly collapsed. Her coach carried her to the podium to receive her gold medal.
Making History
