Part of the 3rd Grade East She Persisted  Series

Introduction

Can you imagine being one of the most successful gymnasts at only age 25? Well Gabby Douglas did exactly that. How did she achieve her goal you ask? Find out!  

Early Years

Gabrielle Christina Victoria Douglas was born on December 31, 1995 in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Gabby’s dad left her when she was a baby. She has two older sisters and one older brother. She started gymnastics lessons when she was around six or seven years old. Her mom said she was “ Very flexible from day one.” Gabby was four years old when her sister noticed her talent. Her sister said, “I would put her on the floor and she was doing the splits.” 

Life as an Adult 

When she was 14 years old she moved to Iowa to train with the coach that had trained Shawn Johnson, a very successful gymnast. That coach’s name was Coach Chow. While she was living in Iowa, she lived with Travis and Missy Parton. Her first big meet was in 2010 for the Cover Girl Classic. She finished with the third best score on the balance beam and the sixth best score on the vault. She proved that she really was a great, young gymnast. 

Accomplishments

Gabby made the US olympic team. She also won a gold medal in the London Olympic Games. Lastly, she competed in the 2011 Tokyo Olympics. She was so good on the bars, she earned herself the nickname “The Flying Squirrel”. 

Conclusion 

Gabby persisted when she had a fever, and still went to practice and trained six days a week. She was very young when she started practicing and yet still did great. She was a changemaker by being 16 years old and one of the best gymnasts in the US.   

“My message is to never quit, never give up. When you have a little trouble here and there just keep fighting. In the end it will pay off.”

-Gabby Douglas