In essence, African American athletes have for decades received standing ovation for their glorious accomplishments in almost every area of American sports. From basketball, football, to even collegiate sports like swimming and equestrian, black athletes have made excellent marks in society showing what hard work dedication can produce. One student that bestows such great talent is sixteen-year-old African American gymnast Gabrielle Douglas aka “Flying Squirrel.”
This high-energy 16-year-old gymnast from West Des Moines, Iowa, has been competing since she was four years old; and now she has made it one step further by representing the US Olympic team, qualifying at the National Gymnastics Olympic Trials in San Diego, CA last Sunday, with a score of .02. She started her career in 2003 where she competed for Chow’s Gymnastics. This international elite gymnast has worked all of her life to come to the point of becoming a top competitor for the London Olympics this July.
Douglas is the first African American since Dominique Dawes in 2000 to join the women’s U.S. Olympic Gymnastics Team. Douglas hopes to be only the second African American woman (women’s gymnastics) to win an individual medal.
Will you be watching?
