In this searing and riveting New York Times bestseller, Olympic gold medalist Dominique Moceanu reveals the dark underbelly of Olympic gymnastics, the true price of success…and the shocking secret about her past and her family that she only learned years later.
At just fourteen years old, Dominique Moceanu became the youngest member of the legendary 1996 US Women’s Olympic Gymnastics Team, known for winning America’s first-ever team gold medal in women’s gymnastics. She was celebrated as a media darling, admired for her grace on the balance beam and her fierce determination. But behind the medals and fame was a story of emotional abuse, hidden injuries, and a high-pressure world that silenced young athletes.
In Off Balance, Moceanu recounts her tumultuous rise to Olympic glory—from her intense training with renowned coach Bela Karolyi, to clashes with her father, and the terrifying isolation of a child in the spotlight. With raw honesty, she reveals the toll of living under constant scrutiny in the hyper-competitive world of gymnastics, and how she was forced to hide both physical pain and emotional scars.
But Moceanu’s story doesn’t end with the Olympics. Years later, a letter from a stranger unveils a shocking family secret: she has a sister born with a disability, given up for adoption at birth—who, against all odds, grew up to become an accomplished gymnast herself. This extraordinary revelation transforms Moceanu’s understanding of identity, family, and resilience.
A gripping, inspiring memoir about perseverance, trauma, and redemption, Off Balance is for fans of Simone Biles, Aly Raisman, and readers of sports memoirs that reveal the truth behind the performance.