GABBY DOUGLAS: A SUCCESSFUL GYMNAST
Gabrielle Douglas is an African-American artistic gymnast on the Women’s US National team. Gabby was born on December 31, 1995. Gabby comes from a poor family, at one point they were even homeless. Through faith, hope, and hard work, Gabby and her family have recovered from poverty. Ever since Gabby was a little girl she has always had a strong passion for gymnastics, and through years of vigorious training, and hard work she made the 2012 Olympic team. Gabby Douglas has had a very successful gymnastics career, but most people only know about her major accomplishments in the 2012 Olympics. Most people do not know about her achievements in her early life, her junior career, or even her senior career as gymnast. …show more content…
When Gabby was three years old, her sister, Arielle, taught her to do a perfect cartwheel (Douglas 24). Gabby learned gymnastics from her sister and by teaching herself (Brian). According to the article “About Gabrielle Douglas,” Gabby used to flip around the house and off the furniture when she was just four years old. Gabby was introduced to the sport by her sister Arielle, who was a gymnast herself (“About Gabrielle Douglas”). Arielle convinced her mother to put Gabby in gymnastics classes because she was so energetic (Perry). According to Selena Hill, author of the article “America’s Olympic Sweetheart Blasted for Saying She was Bullied,” Gabby started official gymnastics classes at age six (Brian). Gabby first started training gymnastics at Excalibur (Hill). Gabby won the Virginia State gymnastics Championship when she was just eight years old (Brian). Gabrielle Douglas says “I’d been dreaming of an Olympic gold medal since I was eight” (Douglas …show more content…
Gabby’s first meet as a Junior Elite International gymnast was in 2008 at the U.S. Classic, where she came in eighth on the uneven bars, and tenth in the all-around (Douglas 92). According to the movie “The Gabby Douglas Story” directed by Gregg Champion, Gabby had competed in the 2008, and 2010 Visa championships in the Junior division. One day, coach Liang Chow came to Excalibur Gymnastics to do a clinic for the gymnasts (The Gabby Douglas Story). After the clinic with coach Chow, Gabby knew that he was the coach she needed. When Gabby asked her mother if she could go train with coach Liang Chow, her mother responded with “Brie, have you lost your mind?” Gabby eventually convinced her mother this had to be done (Douglas 116). At age fourteen, Gabby moved to Des Moines, Iowa to train with coach Liang Chow (Perry). Gabrielle Douglas says, “In October 2010, “I’d left my family and moved to Iowa so I could be coached by elite trainer Liang Chow” (Douglas
Gabrielle Douglas is an African-American artistic gymnast on the Women’s US National team. Gabby was born on December 31, 1995. Gabby comes from a poor family, at one point they were even homeless. Through faith, hope, and hard work, Gabby and her family have recovered from poverty. Ever since Gabby was a little girl she has always had a strong passion for gymnastics, and through years of vigorious training, and hard work she made the 2012 Olympic team. Gabby Douglas has had a very successful gymnastics career, but most people only know about her major accomplishments in the 2012 Olympics. Most people do not know about her achievements in her early life, her junior career, or even her senior career as gymnast. …show more content…
When Gabby was three years old, her sister, Arielle, taught her to do a perfect cartwheel (Douglas 24). Gabby learned gymnastics from her sister and by teaching herself (Brian). According to the article “About Gabrielle Douglas,” Gabby used to flip around the house and off the furniture when she was just four years old. Gabby was introduced to the sport by her sister Arielle, who was a gymnast herself (“About Gabrielle Douglas”). Arielle convinced her mother to put Gabby in gymnastics classes because she was so energetic (Perry). According to Selena Hill, author of the article “America’s Olympic Sweetheart Blasted for Saying She was Bullied,” Gabby started official gymnastics classes at age six (Brian). Gabby first started training gymnastics at Excalibur (Hill). Gabby won the Virginia State gymnastics Championship when she was just eight years old (Brian). Gabrielle Douglas says “I’d been dreaming of an Olympic gold medal since I was eight” (Douglas …show more content…
Gabby’s first meet as a Junior Elite International gymnast was in 2008 at the U.S. Classic, where she came in eighth on the uneven bars, and tenth in the all-around (Douglas 92). According to the movie “The Gabby Douglas Story” directed by Gregg Champion, Gabby had competed in the 2008, and 2010 Visa championships in the Junior division. One day, coach Liang Chow came to Excalibur Gymnastics to do a clinic for the gymnasts (The Gabby Douglas Story). After the clinic with coach Chow, Gabby knew that he was the coach she needed. When Gabby asked her mother if she could go train with coach Liang Chow, her mother responded with “Brie, have you lost your mind?” Gabby eventually convinced her mother this had to be done (Douglas 116). At age fourteen, Gabby moved to Des Moines, Iowa to train with coach Liang Chow (Perry). Gabrielle Douglas says, “In October 2010, “I’d left my family and moved to Iowa so I could be coached by elite trainer Liang Chow” (Douglas