Gabrielle Christina Victoria Douglas
Douglas is a retired American artistic gymnast. She is the 2012 Olympic all round champion and the 2015 World all round silver medallist.
1995
Newport News, Virginia, USA
African American
In December 2012, the Associated Press named Douglas the Female Athlete of the Year. She became the fourth gymnast to receive the honour.
Douglas was a nominee for the Laureus World Sports Award for Breakthrough of the Year. In June 2013, Douglas received two BET Awards for her accomplishments.
She began training in gymnastics at six years old when her sister convinced their mother to enrol her in classes. In October 2002, she began her training at Gymstrada.
At the age of eight, Douglas won the Level 4 all round gymnastics title at the 2004 Virginia State Championships.
At 14, she moved to Des Moines, Iowa, to train fulltime with coach Liang Chow. Because her family had to stay in Virginia while her siblings finished school, she lived with Travis and Missy Parton and their four daughters, one of whom also trained at Chow’s gym. However, Douglas struggled to fit in because of the separation from her family and hometown.
When Douglas turned 14, she left her hometown and family, and moved to West Des Moines, Iowa, to train with renowned coach Liang Chow, known for moulding American gymnast Shawn Johnson into a world champion and Olympic gold medallist. Travis and Missy Parton volunteered to be Douglas’ host family in West Des Moines. According to Douglas’ official website, she became like a big sister to the Parton’s four daughters, one of whom was also a student of Chow’s.
At the 2010 Nastia Liukin Super Girl Cup — a televised meet held in Massachusetts — Douglas made her debut on the national scene, placing fourth allround. She was also placed third on the balance beam, sixth on vault and ninth alaround in the junior division of her first elite meet, the 2010 Cover Girl Classic in Chicago, Illinois.
Douglas went on to win the silver medal on balance beam and fourth allround at the 2010 US Junior National Championships, and then took the uneven bars title at the 2010 Pan American Championships. Her performance at that event also placed Douglas at fifth allround and her performance helped the US. team win the gold medal.
Parents – Natalie Hawkins and Timothy Douglas
Siblings – Arielle Hawkins, Joyelle Douglas, Johnathan Douglas
https://www.biography.com/athlete/gabby-douglas accessed 12/04/2022
https://eu.usatoday.com/story/sports/olympics/2021/07/22/gymnast-gabby-douglas-2012-2016-olympic-gold-medalist/7928136002/ accessed 12/04/2022
https://eu.usatoday.com/story/sports/olympics/2021/07/22/gymnast-gabby-douglas-2012-2016-olympic-gold-medalist/7928136002/ accessed 12/04/2022
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/aug/15/gabby-douglas-hounding-american-champion-olympics accessed 12/04/2022
https://www.popsugar.co.uk/fitness/Gabby-Douglas-Gymnastics-Interview-46483584 accessed 12/04/2022
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gabby_Douglas accessed 12/04/2022
https://gabrielledouglas.com/biography accessed 12/04/2022
https://www.biography.com/athlete/gabby-douglas accessed 12/04/2022
https://www.inspiringquotes.us/author/5863-gabby-douglas accessed 12/04/2022
