US gymnast Gabrielle Douglas listens to her country's national anthem as she poses on the podium with her gold medal after winning the artistic gymnastics women's individual all-around final at the 02 North Greenwich Arena in London on August 2, 2012 during the London 2012 Olympic Games. Douglas won ahead of Russia's gymnasts Victoria Komova and Aliya Mustafina.
--- THOMAS COEX/AFP/GettyImages
Gabrielle Douglas of the U.S. gestures after performing on the asymmetric bars during the women's individual all-around gymnastics final in the North Greenwich Arena at the London 2012 Olympic Games August 2, 2012.
---REUTERS/Mike Blake
From USA Today:
USA's Gabby Douglas takes gold in women's all-around
By Kelly Whiteside, USA TODAY
U.S. gymnast Gabby Douglas made history Thursday, winning the most coveted color of all, Olympic gold. Douglas, 16, became the first African-American, the first woman of color, to win the women's all-around title.
Douglas led from the start, finishing with with 62.232 points and topping Russia's Victoria Komova who had 61.973. . Russia's Aliya Mustafina took the bronze. American Aly Raisman finished fourth after a tie-break ruling. She and Mustafina finished with 59.566, but the Russian won the bronze because the tie-breaker combines their top three scores of the day. Her 16.1 on the uneven bars to Raisman's 14.333 made the the difference.
Douglas began the day with a 15.966 on the vault, the highest score of the 24-gymnast field. She also had the highest score on the beam, the third of four rotations.
In her final event, the floor, Douglas began her routine to cheers of "Go Gabby!" As her techno music played, she had the crowd dancing as she turned North Greenwich Arena into Club Gabby. Cheers filled the place as she finished, her smile spread even wider as she fell into a bear hug from her coach, Liang Chow.
Two years ago, for the first time, the USA took the top two spots in women's all-around when Nastia Liukin and Shawn Johnson won gold and silver, respectively.
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Douglas also was hoping to become the first woman of color to win the Olympic all-around gold. She also was hoping to be the African-American female gymnast to win an individual Olympic medal since Dominique Dawes did in '96. "She was one of my inspirations and role models growing up," Douglas said.
A combination of pictures shows Gabrielle Douglas of the U.S. competing in the four different apparatus of the women's individual all-around gymnastics final in the North Greenwich Arena during the London 2012 Olympic Games August 2, 2012. Douglas took the Olympic Games by storm on Thursday when she won the all-around gold medal ahead of Russian Victoria Komova. The pictures show from top left, clockwise: balance beam, vault, floor and asymmetric bars.
---REUTERS/Dylan Martinez, Phil Noble and Mike Blake
Gold medallist Gabrielle Douglas of the U.S. poses with Russia's silver medallist Victoria Komova (R) and bronze medallist Aliya Mustafina after the women's individual all-around gymnastics final in the North Greenwich Arena at the London 2012 Olympic Games August 2, 2012.
----REUTERS/Mike Blake
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Dominique Dawes and Laura Okmin discuss Gabby Douglas' momentous individual all-around gold medal.
Gabrielle Douglas of the U.S. waves next to her coach Liang Chow (R) after competing her floor exercise during the women's individual all-around gymnastics final in the North Greenwich Arena at the London 2012 Olympic Games August 2, 2012.
----REUTERS/Dylan Martinez
US gymnast Gabrielle Douglas performs on the vault during the artistic gymnastics women's individual all-around final at the 02 North Greenwich Arena in London on August 2, 2012 during the London 2012 Olympic Games.
---AFP PHOTO / THOMAS COEX
Gabrielle Douglas of the U.S. tapes her hand after performing on the vault during the women's individual all-around gymnastics final in the North Greenwich Arena at the London 2012 Olympic Games August 2, 2012.
---- REUTERS/Mike Blake
Gold medallist Gabrielle Douglas of the U.S. gives thumbs up after the women's individual all-around gymnastics final in the North Greenwich Arena at the London 2012 Olympic Games August 2, 2012.
---REUTERS/Mike Blake
Gabrielle Douglas of the U.S. is greeted by her coach after competing in the balance beam during the women's individual all-around gymnastics final in the North Greenwich Arena during the London 2012 Olympic Games August 2, 2012.
----REUTERS/Dylan Martinez
Gabrielle Douglas of the U.S. rubs chalk on her hands before competing in the balance beam during the women's individual all-around gymnastics final in the North Greenwich Arena during the London 2012 Olympic Games August 2, 2012.
---REUTERS/Brian Snyder
Gold medallist Gabrielle Douglas of the U.S. waves next to her coach Liang Chow (L) after the women's individual all-around gymnastics final in the North Greenwich Arena at the London 2012 Olympic Games August 2, 2012.
---REUTERS/Dylan Martinez
Gabrielle Douglas is seen before competing in the floor exercise during the women's individual all-around gymnastics final in the North Greenwich Arena during the London 2012 Olympic Games August 2, 2012.
---REUTERS/Brian Snyder
U.S. gymnast Gabrielle Douglas is hugged by coach Liang Chow after her final and deciding performance on the floor during the artistic gymnastics women's individual all-around competition at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 2, 2012, in London.
----AP Photo/Julie Jacobson
U.S. gymnast Gabrielle Douglas is hugged by coach Liang Chow after her performance on the floor during the artistic gymnastics women's individual all-around competition at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 2, 2012, in London.
---AP Photo/Julie Jacobson
Gabrielle Douglas of the U.S. embraces coach Liang Chow after competing on the asymmetric bars during the women's individual all-around gymnastics final in the North Greenwich Arena at the London 2012 Olympic Games August 2, 2012.
---REUTERS/Dylan Martinez
Mothers of Gabrielle Douglas and Alexandra Raisman of the U.S. embrace as they learn the results during the women's individual all-around gymnastics final in the North Greenwich Arena at the London 2012 Olympic Games August 2, 2012.
---REUTERS/Mike Blake
U.S. gymnast Gabrielle Douglas performs on the balance beam during the artistic gymnastics women's individual all-around competition at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 2, 2012, in London.
----AP Photo/Julie Jacobson
US gymnast Gabrielle Douglas celebrates with the gold medal on the podium of the women's team final of the artistic gymnastics event of the London Olympic Games on July 31, 2012 at the 02 North Greenwich Arena in London.
--- EMMANUEL DUNAND/AFP/GettyImages
U.S. gymnast Gabrielle Douglas reacts after her performance on the floor during the artistic gymnastics women's individual all-around competition at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 2, 2012, in London.
---AP Photo/Julie Jacobson
U.S. gymnast Gabrielle Douglas waves to the audience after her final and deciding performance on the floor, followed by coach Liang Chow during the artistic gymnastics women's individual all-around competition at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 2, 2012, in London.
---AP Photo/Julie Jacobson
US gymnast Gabrielle Douglas celebrates after she won the artistic gymnastics women's individual all-around final at the 02 North Greenwich Arena in London on August 2, 2012 during the London 2012 Olympic Games.
---THOMAS COEX/AFP/GettyImages
Natalie Hawkins, the mother of US gymnast Gabrielle Douglas, smiles after her daughter won the artistic gymnastics women's individual all-around final at the 02 North Greenwich Arena in London on August 2, 2012 during the London 2012 Olympic Games. Douglas won ahead of Russia's gymnasts Victoria Komova and Aliya Mustafina.
----DUNAND/AFP/GettyImages
US gymnast Gabrielle Douglas waves on the podium after winning the artistic gymnastics women's individual all-around final at the 02 North Greenwich Arena in London on August 2, 2012 during the London 2012 Olympic Games. Douglas won ahead of Russia's gymnasts Victoria Komova and Aliya Mustafina.
---EMMANUEL DUNAND/AFP/GettyImages
US gymnast Gabrielle Douglas poses on the podium with her gold medal after winning the artistic gymnastics women's individual all-around final at the 02 North Greenwich Arena in London on August 2, 2012 during the London 2012 Olympic Games. Douglas won ahead of Russia's gymnasts Victoria Komova and Aliya Mustafina.
---EMMANUEL DUNAND/AFP/GettyImages
US gymnast Gabrielle Douglas celebrates on the podium after winning the artistic gymnastics women's individual all-around final at the 02 North Greenwich Arena in London on August 2, 2012 during the London 2012 Olympic Games. Douglas won ahead of Komova and Mustafina.
----THOMAS COEX/AFP/GettyImages
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1 comment:
Can't believe idiots (many in blk community) focused on her hair. Not shocked though.
Great story. Hope she will be an inspiration (an alternative to the negative inspirations usually held up as role models - Rihanna, Beyonce and the rest).
Unfortunately...there are not enough Gabby's out there.
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