Wendy Hilliard

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Wendy Hilliard
Gymnastics career
DisciplineRhythmic gymnastics
Country represented United States
Years on national team1978-1987

Wendy Hilliard (born December 11) in Detroit, Michigan, is an American former rhythmic gymnast. She is a United States Gymnastics Hall of Fame Member and the first African-American rhythmic gymnast to compete as a member of the U.S. national team.[1][2]

Gymnastics career

Hilliard began training in artistic gymnastics before she switched to rhythmic.[3] She was the first African-American to represent the United States in rhythmic gymnastics in international competition, including at three World Championships (1979, 1981, and 1983).[4]

She was on the national team for nine years, beginning in 1978.[1][3] Hilliard was initially denied a spot in the group in 1983, as she was told she "stood out too much"; the decision was eventually reversed, and Hilliard was added to the group.[3][5]

Post-gymnastics career

After she retired from competition, Hilliard moved to New York and became a coach; she coached 1996 Olympian Aliane Baquerot Wilson.[6] She served as the first African-American President of the Women’s Sports Foundation from 1995 to 1996, and was also an Olympic sportscaster.[1] She performed in Candide on Broadway in 1997.[7] Hilliard was also the Director of Sports for the New York City 2012 Olympic Bid.[8]

In 1996, she founded the Wendy Hilliard Gymnastics Foundation, which has provided free and low-cost gymnastics for over 15,000 urban youth in New York City.[9] In the fall of 2016, she expanded her gymnastics programs to Detroit,[10] which serves over 200 youth every week through its after school classes.[11]

References

  1. ^ a b c "Inductee Wendy Hilliard". USA Gymnastics.
  2. ^ Hilliard, Wendy. "Why we need Simone, Gabby and Laurie". CNN. Retrieved 2017-01-03.
  3. ^ a b c "Black History Is Our History: World Champion Gymnast Wendy Hilliard Uses Her Own Experience To Encourage Next Generation Of Black Athletes To Succeed". CBS News. 2021-02-27. Retrieved 2025-03-06.
  4. ^ Higa, Liriel. "Before Simone Biles, These Women Broke Barriers". On the Ground. Retrieved 2017-01-03.
  5. ^ Irwin, Demetria (10 February 2017). "Wendy Hilliard Remembers Pushing the Doors Open for Black Gymnasts". Ebony. Retrieved 2025-03-06.
  6. ^ Martin, Chantz (2024-06-27). "Hall of Fame gymnast Wendy Hilliard reflects on representing the US on world stage". Fox News. Retrieved 2025-03-06.
  7. ^ "Wendy Hilliard". Playbill.
  8. ^ "NYC still benefitted from 2012 Olympics bid". Newsday. Retrieved 2017-01-03.
  9. ^ "Wendy Hilliard Gymnastics Foundation".
  10. ^ "The healing power of sport: Native Detroiter to bring gymnastics to Detroit". The Michigan Chronicle. 2015-09-18. Retrieved 2017-01-03.
  11. ^ "Expat Wendy Hilliard grows gymnastics foundation in Detroit".