Sport
Gabrielle Douglas: Gymnastics phenom to watch this year
Gabrielle Douglas of the US performs on the on the uneven bars. PHOTO/Bullit Marquez/AP
It is Gabrielle Douglas’ time to shine.
Douglas, and two-time member of the U.S. National Gymnastics team is getting the attention of pretty much everybody, with the high-flying moves she executes on the uneven bars.
The 16-year-old gymnastic phenom started in the sport at age six and in 2010 moved from Virginia to West Des Moines, Iowa, to live with a host family so she could train with Liang Chow, who is also the coach of 2008 Olympic balance beam champion Shawn Johnson.
Now, having been a member of the U.S. team that won the gold medal at the 2011 World Gymnastics Championships in Tokyo, “The Flying Squirrel,” as her team calls her, is pursuing her dream of joining the U.S. Olympic Team in 2012.
Douglas dominated her turn on the uneven bars last weekend at the Visa Championships in St. Louis.