The summer Olympics in Atlanta, 1996,
I like to call them the summer Atlympics, was amazing.
What I remember about the Olympics
is the Magnificent Seven,
the women's gymnastic team.
They represented me in so many ways.
Dominique Dawes being the first black woman in gymnastics
to medal in the Olympics was amazing
for me to see someone who looked like me doing that.
I did kind of feel like I was there.
I'm Andra Day, and this is my Olympic Moment.
It's an exciting time for everyone.
The whole world is watching so everyone's TVs are on,
everyone's talking about the Olympics,
what's going on, you know, the medals people are winning.
I think, although different countries are competing
in different sports,
there is such a unity about the Olympics.
We all come together and we all get to celebrate sports.
It's unity for, you know, America and other countries.
But I think globally as well, too, it's exciting.
We're all just passionate about the sports and it's amazing.
What I remember about the Olympics in Atlanta
is the Magnificent Seven,
the women's gymnastic team of 1996.
I just remember those women were so powerful.
For me, particularly, Dominique Dawes,
Dominique Moceanu and Kerri Strug.
They won the first gold medal in women's Olympics
for America, which was amazing.
For Dominique Dawes, she was the first black woman
in women's gymnastics to get a medal, period.
Just such a proud moment to see her standing up there
cos I always remember looking at her, like,
that girl, she looks like me.
You know, she kind of represents me.
I was a dancer for a long time, so gymnastics was,
like, the closest thing to that in the Olympics for me,
so it was really exciting.
And Kerri Strug, I remember specifically, too,
because she overcame some of the most amazing obstacles.
I don't think anyone will ever forget.
Kerri Strug, on her first vault,
when she came to stick the landing,
she sort of fumbled and she actually sprained her ankle.
You can do it. You can do it.
I think what I remember specifically about that
is she hit the first pose and she still turned on one foot
and hit the second pose before falling to the ground.
Kerri Strug is hurt.
She is hurt badly.
But she still stuck her landing.
That is amazing, people.
I remember seeing their coach carry Kerri off the mat
after she sprained her ankle
and she kind of had tears in her eyes
but everyone was cheering.
I remember thinking, their coach really loves them.
That was just such a, like, triumphant moment.
Tumbling and all of that, you practise that in dance
but it was never something that I could really do.
They inspired me so much and I was committed to
learning how to tumble and do a back flip.
And I was actually able to achieve it.
I can't do it now, so don't ask, all right.
But that whole team, for me as a kid, was so exciting.
They inspired me a lot.
I'm Andra Day, and this is my Olympic moment.