Olympic Gymnastics Athlete Finds Out Her Sister Is An Adopted, Legless Gymnastics Star

Jan 16, 2020 by apost team

Of the many theories surrounding human genetics, one of them posits that extreme athleticism is something that gets passed on through generations, but we just don't know when it may manifest itself.

Just like physical looks, athletic talent may skip a generation or two; in some cases, they may only be found in one sibling and not the other. The story of Jennifer Bricker and Dominique Moceanu suggests that athletic genes can indeed run in the family, and they can even be present alongside congenital conditions.

Jennifer Bricker was born to Romanian parents who practiced gymnastics, but she was given up to adoption in 1987. Dominique is a retired American gymnast who has won gold medals in the Olympics and Goodwill Games for Team USA. They are sisters, but this was not revealed until Dominique wrote a memoir in 2016, ABC News reports.

Jennifer was born without legs; this physical disability did not stop her from pursuing her natural passion, which happens to be athletics. As a child, she tried various sports, but something stirred within her when she watched gymnastics on television, says the BBC.

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Jennifer would not learn that one of her Olympic idols was her own biological sister until she turned 18. She knew she was adopted, and she also knew that her parents would never shy away from telling her the truth about her biological background, and this is when she learned that Dominique was her sister.

Imagine Dominique's surprise when she found out that her little sister Jennifer had grown up to become a tumbler and acrobat, Psychology Today reports, who has performed with Britney Spears during the acclaimed Circus Tour in 2009.

Life for these two separated sisters has not been easy. Jennifer learned to overcome her disability, which in her case is more like an awesomely different ability, but Dominique suffered emotional and sexual abuse at the hands of her gymnastic coaching staff, NPR reports.

Dominique is a graceful and very strong artistic gymnast, but her upper body strength is nothing like Jennifer's. When you watch the videos about their respective lives, you can also notice the physical resemblance as they both are very striking women.

Do you believe that athleticism can be passed through genes? Does it need to be nurtured from an early age, or is it more like a talent? Let your friends and relatives know about this story and talk about the various levels of athletic affinity in your family.