1. Gabrielle Douglas is a competitive gymnast, and Gold medal winning Olympian. She is also known as Gabby Douglas or Brie. Gabby’s life was not always so fabulous and had a very hard childhood, due to her family having financial difficulties, and her parents separating when she was very young. She was born in Virginia Beach, Virginia, but Gabby and her family travelled to many different states until they could find a stable place where they could afford to live. When Gabby was watching the 2008 Olympics, she saw Shawn Johnson with her coach Liang Chow. It was in that moment, that Gabby decided Chow was going to be her coach. Gabby moved to West Des Moines, Iowa, without her family at the age of 14, solely to train with Liang Chow. Gabby had an …show more content…
It was at that age that Arielle, Gabby’s older sister, taught her how to do a perfect cartwheel, which she successfully mastered as her first skill in gymnastics. This information was gathered from Reeve, Elspeth. “Gabby Douglas: Her Childhood Path to the Olympics.” The Atlantic, Atlantic Media Company, 3 Aug. 2012, www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2012/08/gabby-douglas-her-childhood-path-olympics/325087/. By age four Gabby had taught herself some harder skills, such as a one-handed cartwheel. This skill displayed that Gabby had a natural talent in gymnastics, especially because of how difficult it is to complete a one-handed cartwheel without formal instruction. Gabby was put into gymnastics at age six, even though her family was aware of her talents by the time she was four. The family simply could not afford the cost of gymnastics classes. Arielle was adamant for Gabby to begin gymnastics training because she was convinced that Gabby would be a star one day. The family was not shocked at