'Magnificent Seven' gymnasts flaunt their AGELESS looks on cover of SELF - as Team USA superstar Dominique Moceanu, 42, lays bare 'abusive psychological torment' she endured before 1996 Olympics

Members of nan 'Magnificent Seven' person reunited astir 3 decades aft their iconic golden badge triumph astatine nan Olympics - and they opened up astir nan 'abusive psychological torment' that they endured up of and during nan 1996 Games.

In 1996, nan US Olympic women's gymnastics squad was branded arsenic nan 'Magnificent Seven' acknowledgment to their awesome triumph astatine nan coveted event.

The young women brought location nan country's first-ever golden badge successful women's gymnastics aft a nail-biting ending that saw nan squad propulsion up successful nan last moments acknowledgment to Kerri Strug's vault - which she landed pinch a wounded ankle.

The events wholly captured nan federation and propelled each 7 of nan athletes into nan spotlight, turning them into American heroes and monolithic celebrities practically overnight.

Now, 3 of those women person teamed up to grace nan screen of Self Magazine together, 28 years connected from their captivating victory, and they discussed nan immense 'pressure' that nan Games and its aftermath had connected them.

Dominique Moceanu, Shannon Miller, and Dominique Dawes showed disconnected their ageless beauty arsenic they stunned connected nan beforehand of nan publication's astir caller rumor - while reflecting connected nan history-making events.

'I felt nan enormity of it all. I had my ain unit connected myself, I had unit from my father, I had unit from my coaches. Honestly, it was a lot,' Moceanu, who was 14 astatine nan time, said of nan 1996 Games.

'It was nan abusive psychological torment behaviors betwixt coach and jock and past betwixt my begetter and me.'

The now 42-year-old, who competed with a four-inch accent fracture successful her tibia, recalled suffering from a terrifying autumn during nan arena last for nan equilibrium beam, which saw her onshore connected her head.

And she said she was much worried astir what her coach, Márta Károlyi, would deliberation than imaginable injuries.

She went connected to compete connected nan level 'minutes later' without receiving a 'cervical spine exam,' she antecedently said connected X.

'When you're a kid, you can't speak up for yourself,' she added to Self of nan incident. 

Dawes, who was 19 astatine nan time, told nan outlet that she had 'an affectional breakdown' correct earlier nan 1996 Olympics kicked off.

'I conscionable felt nan weight of nan world connected my shoulders,' nan now 47-year-old explained.

'If I came from an situation that was afloat of compassion and empathy and emotion and they looked astatine maine beyond conscionable a commodity, I would person been a overmuch happier, fulfilled kid, a happier and much fulfilled adult,' she added.

Miller, who was besides 19 erstwhile nan squad brought location nan gold, recalled trying to conscionable 'enjoy nan moment' during nan whirlwind win.

But she admitted that her struggles came aft she stepped distant from nan athletics pursuing nan Olympics.

'That's what group don't see, what they don't ever understand astir retiring from athletics - whether that's collegiate, Olympic, aliases master sports,' Miller, now besides 47, said.

'You do spell done this infinitesimal of, "What do I do pinch nan remainder of my life?" I mean, I retired erstwhile I was 19. I didn't cognize thing else.'

'The level of committedness we make to nan sport, that's each you know. You don't spot life not wearing a leotard. All my friends were my teammates and were successful that bubble,' Dawes agreed. 

Miller went connected to attended nan University of Houston successful 2003, but she remembered she felt wholly isolated.

'I was losing each that assurance that I had built done sport. I went backmost to not talking to anyone,' she told Self.  'I went to school, went home, did my homework, and that was benignant of it.'

After graduating, she continued her studies astatine Boston College Law School, but ne'er took nan barroom exam.

Instead, she began making nationalist appearances and speaking astatine gyms to young athletes astir immoderate of nan things that she learned during her years arsenic a gymnast - and that changed everything for her.

'To thief group recognize that they already person this spot wrong them, I emotion that,' she gushed.

'Now group say, "You're making up for not talking past because you won't extremity talking now.""

She battled ovarian crab successful 2011 but was declared cancer-free aft undergoing room and chemotherapy.

'It took respective years to fig retired that I didn’t person to do each of this alone, that I didn’t conscionable person to return everything on,' she added. 

'I dream I proceed to animate others to do and beryllium their very champion each day.' 

Moceanu, who said she was 'ostracized' from nan gymnastics organization aft she publically accused her coaches aliases 'verbal and affectional abuse' successful 2008, now runs her ain gymnastics halfway successful Medina, Ohio.

She is fiercely dedicated to ensuring nan young athletes that train location are taken attraction of mentally and physically, telling Self, 'I deliberation that that astir apt is nan biggest point because it was truthful absent successful my life.'

'No matter what, I tin slumber and put my caput down astatine nighttime knowing that I did nan correct point erstwhile it was highly hard,' she added. 'That makes maine consciousness bully that I stood for thing successful my life.'

As for Dawes, she served arsenic President of nan Women's Sports Foundation from 2004 until 2006, and nan co-chair of nan President's Council connected Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition successful 2010.

She now besides runs owns a training facility, which has 2 locations successful Maryland. 

'If I tin springiness young group that compassionate and benignant situation that possibly they different don’t have, that's wherever I consciousness for illustration I'm making nan top quality successful this world,' she said.

'Then young group consciousness that safe environment. They commencement listening to themselves. 

'And if it's an unsafe environment, it won't beryllium this dull ringing successful their head, wherever they conscionable don't cognize because they don't cognize what's safe and what's unsafe.

'My younger aforesaid was successful a beautiful bad business for rather a fewer years, and I tin correct that [wrong] by trying to supply thing patient and empowering for nan adjacent generation.' 

Márta and her husband, Béla, served arsenic nan caput coaches for nan United States Women's National Gymnastics squad for galore years.

Numerous athletes person accused them of verbal and psychological abuse, and immoderate claimed nan mates forced them to train contempt knowing they had injuries.

In addition, it was astatine their ranch successful Texas that galore young gymnasts opportunity they were sexually abused by erstwhile squad expert Larry Nassar. 

They person said that they were unaware of nan abuse, and denied nan allegations of abuse. Béla stepped down successful 2001 and Márta near her domiciled successful 2016.