Gabby Douglas was just 16 when she caught the world's attention at the 2012 Olympics where she won gold in the all-around event. From her early days on the gym floor to her life after finding Olympic fame, the transformation(改变) of Gabby Douglas has been quite the stunning one indeed.
Gabby Douglas' talent for gymnastics was apparent from a young age. At the tender age of three, the younger Douglas was turning cartwheels. Just two years after beginning her formal gymnastics training. Douglas won Virginia's state gymnastics championship. She racked up more wins over the years, and it was soon evident that she wasn't just a talented gymnast, but a possible Olympic competitor.
At the age of 14, Gabby Douglas knew that for her to make it to the Olympics, she needed a change. She'd already been homeschooled for years to focus on her training, and she set her sights on training with Liang Chow, a coach who has worked with Shawn Johnson. But Chow's gym was in West Des Moines, Iowa—not exactly within commuting distance of her home in Virginia. Movıng halfway across the country was not easy for the young Gabby Douglas. She felt seriously out of place as one of few black people there.
Douglas also felt much anxiety about chasing her Olympic dream. It would be years before Douglas opened up about the fears she faced on her road to the Olympics. She once said, "When I started this journey, I never knew what it took to get to the Olympics. I had a lot of self-doubt…You have to believe that you're good enough and not give up."
Douglas eventually found the determination to stick with her dream, no matter how tough the journey. Not only did she help her team win gold, but she also won gold in the all-around—making her the first black woman to do so. She said, "It was just insane knowing that I had spent my whole life dreaming about this one specific goal and achieved it."
