Gabrielle Douglas! Olympic gold medalist.

Introduction. Douglas was a member of the U.S. team that won the gold medal in the team finals at the 2011 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Tokyo, Japan. "Her unique, flexibility, body alignment and form has led her to be compared with three-time Olympian Dominique Dawes," states an article on American-Gymnast.com. The first African- American woman to win a gold medal in gymnastics. Her performance at 2010 Pan American Championships placed Douglas at fifth all-around and won her a share of the U.S. team gold medal. Gabby became the first U.S. gymnast ever to receive the individual all-round gold and team gold medals in a single Olympic games. Gabby says she plans to try for a spot on the U.S. gymnastics team in 2016 for the Olympic games in Rio de Janeiro. By 2012, 16-year-old Douglas had proven herself a champion, going from underdog to Olympian in a short time. She became the subject of the media attention in the summer of 2012.

Gabrielle’s Life History… Gabby was born on December 31, 1995 in Virginia beach, Virginia. She was selected to complete with the U.S Olympic woman’s gymnastics team at the 2012 Summer Olympics. Gabby began formal gymnastics training at 6 years old. And won state championship by the time she was eight. She moved away from her hometown and family in 2010 to pursue training with a world-reowned Olympic trainer. Gabby Douglas made her national debut at the 2010 Nastia Liukin Supergirl Cup, in Worcester, Massachusetts, placing fourth all-around. At the 2011 World Championships in Tokyo, Japan, she was a member of the U.S. team that won the gold medal in the team finals. At the 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London, Douglas and other members of the U.S. Olympic women’s gymnastics team won the team all-around gold medal. She also won the gold medal in the individual all-around. She is the first American gymnast ever to win both the individual all-around and the team gold at the same Olympics.

Gabby’s Life History Con. Her parents are Timothy Douglas and Natalie Hawkins. At the age of 3, she perfected a straight cartwheel using a technique that she learned from her older sister. By the age of 4, Douglas has taught herself how to do a one-handed cartwheel. In 2004, she was named a Virginia State Gymnastics Champion. Her first experience with gymnastics came at the age of 3. In 2012, Gabby Douglas had a huge performance at the American Cup in March. She competed as the US team alternate, so her scores didn't officially count, but she ended up with the highest total of the day. Had she been an "official" competitor, she would have beaten world all-around gold medalist Wieber. Douglas edged Wieber for the overall title at the 2012 Olympic Trials, finishing just .1 ahead of her after a two-day competition. Gabby therefore earned the single automatic berth onto the Olympic team.

Technology Connection. This Technology Connection is about Gabby’s book, Grace, Gold, & Glory. In the book Gabby was saying how her dad kept telling everyone how he supported her, but she says he really didn’t. Gabby’s New Book Discusses Quitting Gymnastics, Deadbeat Dad, and Racism. Douglas will go down in history books as the first African-American woman to win the prestigious individual all-around gold, just one year ago, Douglas wanted to walk away from the sport. Also in Gabby's book it talks about racism. But it hasn't been an easy road. Douglas opened up about her time training at a gym in Virginia, where she was met with racism and ridicule. She told how, at one point she was actually referred to by another gymnast as their "slave.” "I definitely felt isolated. I felt, why am I deserving this?" she said. "Is it because I’m black? Like, those thoughts would go through my mind."

Math Connection Income.. Gabby and her 2012 Olympic women’s gymnastics teammates—Jordyn Wieber, Aly Raisman, McKayla Maroney and Kyla Ross, will make a base salary of more than $100,000 each for participating in the 40-city Kellogg’s Tour of Gymnastics Champions that begins September 2012 in San Jose, California, and ends in November 2012 in New York City. Now that she is an Olympic gold medalists she could earn $1 to $3 million annually from sponsors.

Personal Reflection.. I chose Gabby Douglas for this project because I’ve heard a lot about her and wanted to learn more. Also, I have seen her in the Olympics and didn’t know she was going to be this famous. What I liked about this project was how I got to learn more things about Gabby and having fun doing it.

References: http://celebnetworth.org/gabby-douglas-net-worth-salary http://www.biography.com/people/gabby-douglas-20900057 http://www.blackyouthproject.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Gabby-Douglas-Olympic-Quotes2-450x364.jpg http://designindulgences.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/wpid-gabby-douglas-young1.jpg?w=560 http://i.usatoday.net/sports/_photos/2012/08/06/Gabby-Douglas-succumbs-to-fatigue-on-bars-LC20SDBQ-x-large.jpg