Gabby Douglas was the first African-American female gymnast in Olympic history to become the individual All-Around champion. In the 2012 Olympic Games, she won gold in the team competition and the individual competition. She is a gymnastics phenom. From the beginning of her career to where she is today, she has been a true trooper through everything. Gabrielle Douglas is an inspiration to me and many others because she overcame being homeless,moved in with a new family, and won Olympic gold in gymnastics. On December 31, 1995, Gabrielle Christina Victoria Douglas also known as "Flying Squirrel", was born in Virginia Beach, Virginia (Douglas, Gabrielle). Her dad, Timothy Douglas and mom, Natalie Hawkins were experienced parents because they had two children before Gabby. Jonathan and Joyelle, her brother and sister, we're very close with Gabby as was Gabby with them. Gabbys family was very poor when she was born. They had no where to go but to live in a van (Neporent, Liz). While her family lived in the van there was not enough money to send her back for her infant check up. She was diagnosed with Branched Chain Ketoaciduria, a rare blood disease in infants who can't process certain proteins (Fraser, Allen). Gabby became very small and her mom thought she was going to die. Eventually, a family friend of the Douglas helped pay for a doctors visit (Douglas, Gabrielle). Gabbys relatives took the Douglas's in (Neporent, Liz). Timothy Douglas abounded the family soon after this because he found a job away from home (Neporent, Liz). Her sister Arielle introduced Gabby to tumbling and gymnastics through a cartwheel (Gabby Douglas). When all of Gabby's family had just enough of bouncing around on the couches and flipping the vase... ... middle of paper ... ...er family and all of her loved ones that she had what it takes to be put to the test and pass it. Even though her journey was not smooth, Gabby managed to push through. Gabby Douglas is an inspiration to me and many others because of all of her wonderful achievements and fantastic ability to shine even when it is dark. Works Cited “Gabby Douglas.” Gabby Douglas. Nike, Inc, n.d. Web. 30 Jan. 2014. Neporent, Liz. ‘Olympian Douglas’ Hard Times.” ABC News. ABC News Network, n.d. Web. 20 Feb. 2014 Fraser, Allen. “What a great gymnastics movie should be.” The New Yorker. conde Nast, n.d. May. 17 Feb. 2014 Douglas, Gabrielle, and Michelle Burford. Grace, Gold and Glory: My Leap of Faith: The Gabrielle Douglas Story. N.p.: Harpercollins Christian Pub, 2012. Print. Schoeller, Martin. “Olympics Gabby Douglas Team USAs Flip Artist Comments. Time, Inc, 2014. Web. 21 Feb. 2014
James Cleveland Owens otherwise known as “Jesse” was an Olympic long jumper and sprinter whose speed and inspirational defiance of Hitler shocked the world. The 1936 Olympics were held in Berlin and Adolf Hitler of the Nazi party believed that these Olympic Games would showcase the great skill of the Aryan (Caucasian) race, and the last person he would expect to show him up would be an African-American man (Barnes 1). With sixty-six U.S. Olympic contestants competing in the Games, the American race was really put on the spot in front of Hitler, the most powerful man in the world (Smith 1). Jesse Owens was one of these men, and while being laughed at by Hitler during his one hundred meter sprint against six other Caucasian sprinters, he won by a landslide. With that victory and his other three Olympic gold medals the Owens name was able to be remembered and looked up to for eternity. Jessie Owens is such a great athlete and individual because he defied Adolf Hitler, achieved more than expected of himself, and broke records with ease.
Do you have a love for a sport or hobby that you been playing since you were very young? Well, Simone Biles had been having a love for gymnastics since she was just six years old and she started training at eight years old with her coach Aimme Boorman. Simone Biles had the best Olympics because she won the most medals out of all the gymnasts that competed and she dedicates 300 days out of the whole year training. However, people think Michael Phelps did the best because he won the most gold medals out of all USA Olympic medalist.
She was nervous,waiting to see her score for her floor routine. Then, bam! She was shaking with joy and her heart was pounding. She won! Simone Biles, only 19, had won the 2016 Rio Olympics!
"Reggie Miller may finally be even with his sister now.." SportsonEarth.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 29
The athlete I chose is Natasha Watley. She is a professional softball player and the first African-American female to play on the USA softball team in the Olympics. She’s a former collegiate 4-time First Team All-American who played for the UCLA Bruins, the USA Softball Women’s National Team, and for the USSSA Pride. She helped the Bruins will multiple championships and also holds numerous records and one of the few players to bat at least .400 with 300 hits, 200 runs, and 100 stolen bases. She’s also the career hits leader in the National Pro Fast pitch. She won the gold medal in the 2004 summer Olympics and a silver in the Beijing Olympics. She was inducted into the UCLA Athletics Hall of Fame in 2014.
Athletic. Marvelous. Competitive. Hard-Working. All of these words can be used to describe this wonderful athlete. Though Babe isn’t the only outstanding woman athlete, she really was the first one to break the stereotype that only men can break records and be in the hall of fame. She paved the way for athletes like Lisa Leslie and Ronda Rousey to work their way to the top. Babe was good at everything she played, but excelled best at basketball, track-and-field and golf.
She worked hard and did what she loved.”Simone Biles is the most decorated American Gymnast, Winning 19 Olympic and World Champion medals.” This shows that Simone is a very skilled person with her gymnastic career.That was important because she was a hardworking and she motivated many people to keep their dream. Simone
Hoadley, Johanna. “’36 Olympic Hopefuls Remember Nazi Past” Scripps Howard News Service,as provided by SCRIPPS HOWARD NEWS SERVICE 19 July 1996
One of our many, many heroes was Harriet Tubman.She had to go through a lot of events to be recognized.Tubman was her own person she didn't have to try to make-up a story for people to know she was a hero because she had her own story to tell.As a result of her actions Harriet Tubman saved and changed people's lives.Over all she is still known as a hero to many.
First off simon biles is very accomplished for such a young age. She was only a teenager when she won her 2 gold medals. Her parents are drug addicts so she lives with her grandparents. Her grandparents pushed her and now she is one of the best gymnasts.
Unlike many kids today, she didn’t have television, cell phones, or technology and you can say she wins a gold medal because of that. But, her life started in January 5th, 1969 and she was born in Cambodia with her siblings. She didn’t remember her childhood back then and all she could imagine was the communists taking over her home and life. Whenever she told her horrifying stories in Cambodia, it would make me tear up. She had to hide with her family, sleep on the floor, and walk all day and night. One story that I will always remember is when she walked to Thailand from Cambodia when she was the age of ten. There were landmines on the way to Thailand, specifically up the mountains, and her family had to face this terrifying experience. They had to walk step by step, carefully without tripping, and gladly she made it. This is worth a gold medal that indicates her concentration, hard work, and her survival. Now, she is a mom working for a successful company with a perfect family. Everything that she has done to survive, sacrifice, and care is all worth this ‘gold
When we first arrived I’d thought we’d taken a wrong turn and went to a traveling gypsy convention by mistake. The whole field outside the school was filled with tents of various sizes and colors. 200 wrestlers, about thirty of which were girls, filtered about the area. As my soon-to-be teammates and I headed to the first practice, anxiety gnawed at my stomach like a dog with a bone (FL). I wanted to impress everybody, and prove that I could make it in this sport. Before we started, the coach patted me on the shoulder. “I’ve got your back all right.” he told me. I smiled and nodded. At least one person was looking out for me.
Wallechinsky, David. The Complete Book of the Summer Olympics. Boston: Little Brown & Co., 1996.
Growing up poor, surrounded by drug addicts, and gangs is not the most ideal childhood. The person that inspires me most was thrown into this world, and given no choice but to survive. Her therapists say she is a success story because she endured what life threw at her. My favorite part about her life is that through all the drama she continues to stay positive and happy. Some of the situations she goes through are so harsh I can’t say it yet she is an inspiration to me because she keeps on going.
Silver, Michael, and Natalie Coughlin. Golden Girl: How Natalie Coughlin Fought Back, Challenged Conventional Wisdom, and Became America's Olympic Champion. Emmaus, PA: Rodale, 2006. Print.