On Tuesday, Montgomery County, Maryland unveiled a statue of Olympic gold medalist Dominque Dawes in the front lobby of the Silver Spring Recreation and Aquatic Center (SSRAC) as part of the county's new Sports Hall of Fame.

County Executive Marc Elrich led the dedication ceremony that included remarks by Silver Spring native Dawes to a crowd of all ages who gathered for the unveiling. “I want to celebrate our Olympic legend who is here today, an incredible athlete from Silver Spring. Good things come out of Silver Spring,” Elrich said to Dawes and the crowd during the unveiling. “This statue is a symbol of your dedication to pursue your dreams and by commemorating you and your contributions to the Olympics, this statue will help motivate many athletes.”

Completed earlier this year and designed by KGD as part of the Elizabeth Square project with the county and others, the SSRAC is located at 1319 Apple Avenue. The center offers a range of recreational and leisure amenities, including pools, a gymnasium, fitness center, and more. The center is also home to Montgomery County’s Sports Hall of Fame. The statue is based on an iconic image of Dawes at the 1996 Olympics holding a middle split on the balance beam and reaching out with one arm.

Scroll below for links to coverage carried by various media outlets, including MoCo360's Elia Griffin whose photo we credit in the one we've featured for this post. Thank you and our congratulations to Dominique Dawes and the entire Montgomery County community!

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