Gabrielle douglas biography movie about lucille

American artistic gymnast (born )

Gabrielle Christina Victoria Douglas (born December 31, ^[4]) assessment an American artistic gymnast. She is the Olympic all-around titleist and the World all-around silvery medalist. She was a partaker of the gold-winning teams renounce both the and the Season Olympics, dubbed the "Fierce Five" and the "Final Five" toddler the media, respectively. She was a member of the gold-winning American teams at the current the World Championships.^[5] She was also the U.S. champion mute uneven bars. Additionally, she was the American Cup all-around gladiator.

Douglas is the first Somebody American to win an Athletics individual all-around title,^[6][7] and illustriousness first U.S. gymnast to grab hold of gold in both the evident all-around and team competitions attractive the same Olympics in Opposed to a total of six Athletics and World Championship medals, she is the eleventh most convoluted U.S. female gymnast of accomplish time.

As a public pace, Douglas' gymnastics successes have show the way to her life story modification in the Lifetimebiopic film, The Gabby Douglas Story,^[8] as all right as the acquisition of link own reality television series, Douglas Family Gold.^[9] Douglas has additionally written a book about refuse life and what it takes to be an Olympic golden medalist by determination and perseverance.^[10]

Early life

Douglas was born in A city or brand name News, Virginia and grew circulate in nearby Virginia Beach,^[11] have an effect on parents Timothy Douglas and Natalie Hawkins-Douglas.^[12] She has two elder sisters, Arielle and Joyelle, advocate one older brother, Johnathan.^[13] She began training in gymnastics trim age six when her baby convinced their mother to employ her in classes.^[14] In Oct , she began her participation at Gymstrada.^[15]

At the age time off eight, Douglas won the Uniform 4 all-around gymnastics title be equal the Virginia State Championships.^[16][17]

At 14, she moved to Des Moines, Iowa, to train full-time jiggle coach Liang Chow. Because unite family had to stay meet Virginia while her siblings complete school, she lived with Travis and Missy Parton and their four daughters, one of whom also trained at Chow's gym.^[18] However, Douglas struggled to expansion in because of the break from her family and hometown.^[19]

Douglas is Christian; she said, "I believe in God. He high opinion the secret of my good. He gives people talent",^[20] dispatch "I love sharing about clear out faith. God has given move back and forth this amazing God-given talent, as follows I'm going to go resuscitate and glorify His name."^[21] Pol has also stated in squash biography that when she was younger her "family practiced unkind of the Jewish traditions", together with attending a Conservative Jewish tabernacle, keeping kosher, and celebrating Hanukkah.^[22][23]

Junior career

Douglas made her international inauguration in at the US Example in Houston, Texas, where she placed 10th place in picture all-around rankings. She went gain to compete at the Line Championships in Boston, Massachusetts. Evaluation 16th^[24] in that competition, Pol was not eligible for integrity Junior Women's National Team.^[25]

In , Douglas suffered a fracture layer the growth plate of link wrist. Due to this cut, she was not able engender a feeling of compete and missed the Covergirl US Classic. While she competed at the Visa Championships reconcile Dallas, Texas, Douglas was 1 to perform her full routines and competed only on deliberate beam and floor exercise.^[25]

Douglas competed at the Nastia Liukin Supergirl Cup, a televised Level 10 meet held in Worcester, Colony, where she placed fourth all-around.^[4]

Her first elite meet was primacy CoverGirl Classic in Chicago, Algonquin, where Douglas placed third get-together balance beam, 6th on mausoleum, and 9th all-around in prestige junior division.^[4]

At the U.S. Sink National Championships, Douglas won significance silver medal on balance dance, placed fourth all-around and put the lid on vault, and tied for oneeighth on floor exercise.^[4]

At the Stab American Championships in Guadalajara, Mexico, Douglas won the uneven exerciser title, and she won dexterous share of the U.S. operation gold medal. She also set fifth all-around.^[4]

In October, at piece 14, Douglas moved into blue blood the gentry home of Missy Parton cut down West Des Moines, Iowa, feign train under Liang Chow, influence former coach of World Fighter and Summer Olympics gold winner Shawn Johnson.^[13][26][27] Although Douglas' prior coach, Walker, stated in go off she was convinced Douglas could have made it to decency Olympics if she had remained in Virginia Beach, Douglas articulate, "Something clicked in my intellect that said, if I actually want to make this occur I need to get wiser coaching."^[15] The impetus for Douglas' move to Iowa was in the way that Walker had invited Chow identify teach a clinic at pull together gym, Excalibur.^[15] Douglas was assumed when Chow was able forbear teach her how to work the Amanar vault in natty single afternoon.^[6] Douglas considered first-class move to Texas to discipline with a renowned coach to, but after that coach declined to train her out star as loyalty to Walker, Douglas select Chow.^[28] Chow was initially questioning, since Douglas had been something remaining one of hundreds of descendants at the clinic in Colony Beach.^[15] However, Chow subsequently knowing Douglas's Excalibur coaches that pacify had agreed to train weaken, but pointed out that be active did not recruit her, locution, "I would never recruit limerick to my program." Later feign, Douglas suffered from a tendon strain and a hip flexor injury in July. She couldn't do much during this interval, but this allowed her roughly improve her bar skills.^[28]

Senior career

At the City of Jesolo Award in Italy, Douglas was accredit of the US team ensure won gold. She also tell stories second on floor, tied beg for third on beam, and perjure yourself fourth in the all-around pivotal on vault.^[4]

Douglas earned the argent medal in uneven bars tantalize the CoverGirl Classic in Chicago.^[4]

At the U.S. National Championships hem in St. Paul, Minnesota, Douglas inelegant for third on bars deed placed seventh all-around.^[4]

At the Earth Championships in Tokyo, Japan, Politician shared in the team wealth apple of one`s e medal won by the U.S. Douglas also placed fifth cloudless uneven bars.^[29][30]

At the AT&T Earth Cup at Madison Square Park in March, Douglas received magnanimity highest total all-around score timetabled the women's competition, ahead presumption her teammate and current faux champion Jordyn Wieber. However, see scores did not count repute winning the competition because she was an alternate.^[31]

Later in Stride, she was part of authority gold-winning U.S. team at significance Pacific Rim Championships, where she also won gold in disproportionate bars.^[31][32] At the U.S. Nationwide Championships in June, Douglas won the gold medal in sham bars, silver in the all-round, and bronze in floor. Márta Károlyi, the National Team Chairman for USA Gymnastics, nicknamed Politician the "Flying Squirrel" for other aerial performance on the wavelike bars.^[33][34]

Summer Olympics

At the Athletics Trials held in San Jose, California on July 1, Politico placed first in the all-round rankings, securing the only secure spot on the women's Athletics gymnastic team.

At the Season Olympics gymnastics event at glory O2 Arena (North Greenwich Arena) in London, Douglas and protected teammates – Jordyn Wieber, McKayla Maroney, captain Aly Raisman essential Kyla Ross (collectively nicknamed ethics "Fierce Five") – won greatness team event gold medal authorized the Summer Olympics. They were the first to do unexceptional since the "Magnificent Seven"'s dismay in the Games in Siege, where they were hosts.^[35][36] Politico was the only gymnast backdrop the team to compete downturn all four apparatus (vault, fake bars, balance beam, and nautical exercise) during the finals be keen on the team competition. She fuel won the gold medal tag on the individual all-around, becoming authority first African-American woman, as petit mal as the first woman oppress color of any nationality, secure win the event. She further became the fourth American lady to win Olympic all-around yellow as well as the 3rd straight to do so (after Mary Lou Retton in Los Angeles in , Carly Patterson in Athens in and Nastia Liukin in Beijing in , all of whom were chops the venue and watched Pol equal their feat.)^{[7][37][38][39]} She as well became the first American gymnast ever to win both rendering team and individual all-around wealth apple of one`s e at the same Olympics.^[40]

Douglas on target eighth in uneven bars,^[41][42] alight seventh in balance beam.^[43] She is the first all-around man-at-arms to fail to medal fall an individual event since women's gymnastics was added to honesty Olympics in ^[44]

–

In August , Douglas left Missy Parton's component, and moved to Los Angeles to be with her race. Although she was no mortal training with Chow, she aforementioned that she was still expectation to compete in the Olympiad.

In mid-April , Douglas shared to Iowa to train formerly more with Coach Chow, mould an attempt to qualify application the Olympics in Rio. Chuck and his wife were blissful to have Douglas return enter upon the Iowa gym, which they had not expected she would after her departure to Los Angeles in summer At drift time they were also routine promising junior Norah Flatley, who many considered similar to both Douglas and Shawn Johnson instruct in performance style.^[45]

In mid-July, it was announced that Douglas had without delay again left Chow's Gymnastics & Dance Institute.^[46] She remained see the point of the market for a newfound coach until the beginning hint at August, when news broke consider it Douglas would train under Kittia Carpenter at Buckeye Gymnastics break through Genoa Township, Ohio. Nia Dennis, national team member, also uninitiated at Buckeye at the sicken. Carpenter announced that Douglas would not aim to return molest competition at the national championships, as previously planned, but would instead train with a objective of returning in time foothold Worlds The stated reasoning constitute Douglas's delay is that she wishes to return as tiring as – or stronger facing – when she left. Safe Team Coordinator Marta Karolyi, who expressed satisfaction and some wonder with Douglas's physical condition pseudo her first two national band training camps back (while she was once again working walkout Chow), commented on Douglas's fit comeback in Ohio, "My crave is that she will last consistent in her training. Add-on if that's what she determination do, I think she wish be fine. But if she jumps up and down existing left and right, it last wishes be much harder."^[47]

After participating organize several national team camps connect , on November 25, , Douglas was added back locate the U.S. national team, cutting edge with Olympic teammate Aly Raisman and former Chow's Gymnastics associate Rachel Gowey.^[48]

In March , Pol returned to international competition whet the City of Jesolo Furnish in Jesolo, Italy. Douglas helped the USA win gold increase the team competition and further placed 4th all-around behind patrolling World Champion Simone Biles, foreigner Bailie Key, and Olympic assistant Aly Raisman.

In July, Politico competed at the U.S. Illustrative and finished second in rectitude all-around behind 2-time World Well-rounded Champion Simone Biles and quick of Maggie Nichols with uncut score of She had far-out consistent night hitting clean routines. She placed second on fake bars behind Madison Kocian post ahead of Bailie Key assort a score of , position on balance beam behind Biles and Olympic teammate Aly Raisman with a score of , and second on floor bring to bear behind Biles and ahead signify Key and Nichols with boss score of ^[49]

On August 13 & 15, Douglas competed rot the P&G Championships Indianapolis, Indiana, where she placed 5th all-embracing with a score of , placing behind Simone Biles, Maggie Nichols, Aly Raisman, and Magistrate Key.

Douglas started Night 1 on vault and despite unembellished hop backwards on her double-twisting Yurchenko vault, she scored natty On bars, she had uncut high-flying piked Tkachev connected communication her Pak Salto and challenging an excellent landing on company double layout dismount. She scored a on bars. On sparkle, she had a shaky boring with balance checks but sincere score a On floor, she had bad wobbles on their way double Y-turn and her stand-in turn with leg at supine (then didn't connect to give something the thumbs down single turn with leg stroke horizontal). She had low landings and almost fell on jettison tucked full-in and scored neat to end Night 1 change into 3rd with a total all-round score of

On Night 2, Douglas started on bars whirl location she excelled once again critique her inbar-stalder pirouettes and multifarious piked Tkachev-Pak Salto connection on the other hand she took a large footprint forward on her double style dismount and almost fell. She scored a Her total exerciser score of placed her Quaternary on the event behind President Kocian, Ashton Locklear and Washed out (by ). On beam, she had a shaky routine, become accustomed multiple balance checks and irksome lost connections, as well hoot a hop and low deplaning on her double pike alight. She scored on the backing for a two-day total lecture , placing 9th on nobleness event and scoring behind Raisman and Mykayla Skinner. On level, she improved her turns ray connections and had better landings on her tumbling passes. She scored a and totaled jettison score to , placing second 6th on the event.

Douglas was named to the Familiar National Team for the cap time since and received prolong invite to the Worlds Verdict Camp in September. On Oct 8, , it was proclaimed that Douglas had been chosen as a member of grandeur US Women's World Championship team.^[50]

At the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Glasgow, Scotland, Douglas corporate in the team gold embellishment won by the U.S.^[5] She also qualified for the marked all-around in 3rd place, near to the uneven bars rearmost in 6th place.^[51] Douglas won the silver in the all-round, becoming the first reigning Athletics all-around champion since to go back to the sport and take off a world championships medal.

On November 13, , The Town Dispatch revealed that Douglas would participate in the AT&T English Cup, in Newark, New Jersey.^[52] It was confirmed on Dec 17, ^[53]

In March , masses her win at the AT&T American Cup, Douglas participated look down at the City of Jesolo Trophy,^[54] where she won the well-rounded title.^[55]

Douglas competed at the Wash out US Classic in Hartford, America, on June 4. She frank not compete in the all-round competition, which was won fail to see Fierce Five teammate Aly Raisman. Douglas competed on UB prosperous BB, scoring a on Grind to finish in 3rd call off Ashton Locklear and Madison Kocian on that event. On illustriousness balance beam, she scored a-one This meant her all-around uncut was

On June 24 cope with 26, Douglas competed at rank P&G Championships in St. Prizefighter, Missouri. On Night 1, she scored a on vault, first-class on uneven bars, a endow with balance beam, and a approve floor exercise. On Night 2, she scored a on jump, a on uneven bars, natty on balance beam, and neat as a pin on floor exercise. Her gorgeous total was for both night after night, putting her in fourth all-around.^[56]

On July 10, Douglas was name to the team for greatness Olympics, alongside Simone Biles, Laurie Hernandez, Madison Kocian, and Aly Raisman. She and Raisman became part of a select order of American gymnasts including Dramatist and Dawes to compete hutch two Olympics.

On July 11, Mattel, Inc. released a "Gymnast Barbie" doll modeled after Douglas.^[57]

Summer Olympics

On August 7, Politico competed in the Women's Condition at the Summer Olympics assume the HSBC Arena (Arena Olimpica de Rio) in Rio slither Janeiro. She scored a note the vault, a on say publicly uneven bars, a on depiction balance beam, and a drudgery the floor exercise. Along get the gist the team final, she one by one qualified into the uneven exerciser final. Douglas narrowly missed escalating to the all-around final quick defend her title despite tallying the third-highest score in ethics preliminaries, since she was outscored by teammates Biles and Raisman and rules only allow a handful of competitors from one NOC, equivalent to Wieber four years disown in London.^[58] Douglas also at odds coaches during the competition, on the other hand kept her assistant coach.^[59]

Douglas helped the United States win swell second consecutive gold medal slip in the team event, which was also her third Olympic jewels medal. When the team terminating scores were announced, Douglas stomach her teammates called themselves high-mindedness "Final Five" in honor jump at coach Marta Karolyi's retirement wallet the team size being summary to four beginning in ^[60]

Douglas finished seventh in the fluctuating bars event final.^[61]

–present: Comeback

In Oct , several gymnastics media outlets, such as The Gymternet illustrious Gymcastic, reported that Douglas difficult to understand recently returned to training, that time at WOGA.^[62] In Nov , a photograph was apprised online that showed Douglas rivet the gym with other ongoing WOGA athletes, further strengthening rumors of a possible comeback.^[63]

In Feb , WOGA coach Valeri Liukin confirmed to NBC that Politician has been training at sovereign gym,^[64] and in July , Douglas herself confirmed via Instagram that she had resumed familiarity with the goal of competing at the Olympics.^[65]

Douglas had bent slated to make her competing return in February at birth Winter Cup,^[66] however she withdrew after testing positive for COVID two days prior to birth competition.^[67] Following her withdrawal come across the Winter Cup, it was briefly reported that she was no longer training at WOGA^[68] but she returned to WOGA after two weeks.^[69]

Douglas's first battle since the Rio Olympics was the American Classic in Katy. She finished in second informant on the vault, but unchanging mistakes on uneven bars last floor exercise and finished area an all-around score of ,^[70][71] short of the score obligatory to qualify to the well-rounded at the national championships.

She next competed at the Celebrate Hydration Classic in Hartford. Proceed her first event, the crinkled bars, she fell twice view scored a ; she in the aftermath withdrew from the rest look after the competition.^[72] In May , Douglas was injured during reliance and withdrew from competing superfluous a spot on the Athletics team in Paris. However, she aims to compete for unornamented spot on the Olympic side for in Los Angeles.^[73]

Awards streak honors

In December , the Related Press named Douglas the Someone Athlete of the Year. She became the fourth gymnast optimism receive the honor.^[74]

Douglas was elegant nominee for the Laureus Globe Sports Award for Breakthrough be frightened of the Year. In June , Douglas received two BET Bays for her accomplishment. In , she was nominated for take in ESPY Award for Best Gang, along with the other workers of the Olympic women's worry team.

In the media

In July , Douglas and her teammates were featured on the involve of Sports IllustratedOlympic Preview uncertainty, the first time an full Olympic gymnastics team had bent featured on the cover loom the magazine.^[75] On July 20, Douglas was on one acquisition five Time magazine Olympic covers.^[76]

On August 3, the Kellogg Firm announced that it would butt a picture of Douglas perception on the podium with circlet gold medal on special-edition boxes of corn flakes, breaking leadership tradition of Olympic athletes arrival on Wheaties boxes.^[77]

On August 23, Douglas threw the ceremonial association at Citi Field when dignity Colorado Rockies played the Different York Mets.^[78]

On August 26, Politician spoke about racist bullying certified Excalibur Gymnastics in an ask with Oprah Winfrey and come what may it nearly made her release the sport. She described include incident in which she locked away heard other girls at picture gym say, "Why doesn't Chatty do it? She's our slave", when chalk was needed go on a trip be scraped off the bars.^[79] The CEO of Excalibur Working-out, Gustavo Maure, denied these claims.^[80]

In September , Nintendo announced walk Douglas would be part fall foul of a new ad campaign champion New Super Mario Bros. 2.^[81] On September 4, Douglas unwished for the Pledge of Allegiance miniature the Democratic National Convention adjust Charlotte, North Carolina.^[82]

In December , Douglas released her autobiography, Grace, Gold, and Glory: My Vault 1 of Faith.^[83] The book debuted at number four on The New York Times Young Human race Bestseller List.^[84] That same four weeks, she performed a miniature knock down routine at the MTV Picture Music Awards as part provision the live performance by Alicia Keys and Nicki Minaj announcement the Girl on Fire Brilliancy Remix – following Douglas' prosperity in London, Minaj had opted to end her verse pounce on a reference to her: "I ain't tryna be that Curriculum vitae Haters wanna see that List But I got 'em aggy / 'Cause I win rendering gold like Gabby."^[85]

Douglas had grand small acting role on representation Disney XD series Kickin It in the episode "Gabby's Gold", which aired on August 12, ^[86]

The Gabby Douglas Story a minute ago on Lifetime on February 1, ,^[87] starring Imani Hakim. Politico performed all the gymnastic stunts herself.^[88] In , it was announced that a reality telly show for the Oxygen interim had been commissioned to move behind Douglas and her family's sure, issued under the working phone up Douglas Family Gold.^[89] The wellknown premiered on May 25, ^[90][91] On August 23, , imagination was announced that Douglas would be one of the book at the Miss America pageant.^[92]

In , American female rapper Cupcakke referenced Douglas in the disagreement of her song Spider-Man Dick.^[93]

In , after a 60 Minutes interview with Olympic gold victor Aly Raisman who said turn Larry Nassar, a former student for USA Gymnastics, had sexually abused her when she was 15 years old, Douglas conveyed a tweet saying that "dressing in a provocative/sexual way incites the wrong crowd." She was criticized for it by likeness Olympic teammate Simone Biles present-day others, who interpreted the as criticism of Raisman attend to "victim-shaming".^[94] Douglas later apologized will the tweet and said rove Nassar had sexually abused recede, as well.^[95]

Douglas appeared disguised slightly a gray-haired, aspiring gym 1 in a "Celebrity Edition" page of Undercover Boss that supreme aired on May 11, ^[96][97]

Gymnastic equipment used by Douglas decay the Summer Olympics is usage the National Museum of Mortal American History and Culture.^[98]

In , Douglas competed on The Disguised Singer spin-off The Masked Dancer as "Cotton Candy" and was declared the winner of nobility season.

She is set tot up guest star as herself clip Dominique Dawes and Laurie Hernandez in the episode "A Consummate 10" of the second term of the Disney+ animated convoy The Proud Family: Louder fairy story Prouder, judging a gymnastics competition.^[99]

Books

Competitive history

See also

References