Gabrielle Christina Victoria Douglas affectionately called “Flying Squirrel” catapulted from hometown gymnast to a record-breaking household name, in what seemed to be overnight. At the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, 16-years-old Douglas showcased her talent to the world with her high-flying bar and vault routines, infectious smile, vibrant spirit, and sportsmanship. While doing what she loved and “worked so hard for”, Douglas not only won the highest title in gymnastic but she also became the first African-American gymnast to win a gold medal in the all-around competition, and the first gymnast in American history to win the all-around and team gold.
Like many of America’s top ranking athlete’s Douglas began training in her youth. Douglas’s elder sister influenced her parents to enter “Gabby” in gymnastic when Douglas was at the ripe age of six. Douglas began training with Dena Walker at Excalibur Gymnastics in her hometown of Virginia Beach, Virginia, there she trained and went on to win titles in local competitions by the age of eight.
Douglas made her national debut in 2010. In that year alone she appeared in four competitions: the Nastia Luikin Supergirl Cup in Worcester (Massachusetts), the Cover Girl Classics (Chicago), the Pan American Championships, (Guadalajara, Mexico), and the US Junior Championship. Douglas placed fourth on the all-around and vault at the Junior Championships highlighting her potential to become a future Olympic gymnast.
On the eve of her successes in 2010 Douglas had an awakening. She simply wanted to take her career to the next level. With the help of her supportive siblings, Douglas convinced her mother to let her relocate alone at 14-years-old to Des Moines, Iowa to train with acclaimed Coach Liang Chow, former coach of Olympic gold medalist Shawn Johnson. Although Chow was not sure he could get her to Olympian level in just two years, the duo worked diligently to make Douglas’s Olympic dreams come true.
Douglas lived with a host family were she was home schooled and spent countless hours in at Chow’s Gymnastics and Dance facility. In 2012, Douglas had a career elevating performance at the American Cup. She participated as an US team alternate and received the highest scores. If she were an official competitor she would have beat out US teammate and world all-around gold medalist Jordan Weiber.
At the 2012 Summer Olympics Chow and Douglas’s efforts paid off. Douglas was a member of the “Fierce Five”, representing American and Black America as she was able to make history and Chow achieved what he did not with former pupil Johnson. Douglas took home the gold with an all-around score of 62.232, beating out Russia and seasoned USA teammate McKayla Maroney.
“I just want people to know it took a lot,” she said. “It took a lot of hard days in the gym and determination, passion and drive. Gold medals are made out of your sweat, blood and tears, and effort in the gym every day, and sacrificing a lot that you have to do,” Gabby told Today after winning the gold in London.
Douglas is a Limite Magazine “Women We Love” because of her dedication to her craft, grace, poise, and resilient spirit which landed her the highest title in the sport of gymnastics, and subsequently the title of the first and only African-American Olympic gymnast to win the Gold medal in the all-around competition.
“It’s so meaningful to be the first African-American to win the all-around gold medal in the individual and making the history books is definitely one of the perks,” she told Today. “It just feels amazing.”
Since her astonishing debut in London Douglas has quickly became America’s sweetheart. A photo of her on the Olympic podium is featured on limited edition Kelloggs Corn Flake boxes; she appeared on Jay Leno with First Lady Michelle Obama. Douglas is said to have several endorsement deals in the making, she will also appear on Oprah Winfrey’s OWN Network in an interview with her mom, siblings, and Winfrey airing this Sunday August 26th.
