For most of us, childhood was the time where we ate glue, combed gum out of our hair, played games like ‘hot potato’ and read books that rhymed. For these children, that simply wouldn’t fly…they had bigger plans. These amazing children have outdone themselves time and time again, garnering respect because of their stellar academics, exceptional physical ability and amazing talents.

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Gabrielle Douglas: Olympic Rock Star

A couple of months ago, we would have never guessed that a 16-year-old African American girl would take the Olympics by storm. Now, we can’t turn a corner or lift a magazine without seeing Gabby’s face on it or hearing her name. The young gymnast is the first woman of color and first African American to become the individual all-around champion, and she is the first American to earn gold in both team competitions and individual all-around. Since winning, she’s been on the cover of many magazines and even on the front of the Wheaties box. Skip the magazines, Wheaties??? You know you’ve made it big time when you’re on the front of the breakfast of champions!

Source: people.com

From blackvoices.com

After Gabby Douglas’ disappointing day in an otherwise outstanding Olympics, the golden girl of the games is allegedly discussing her father, Timothy Douglas, who has been noticeably absent from the events, in a less than positive light.

According to the New York Post, Douglas slammed her Air Force father as a deadbeat yesterday, blaming him for her mom, Natalie Hawkins’, financial woes.

“It was really hard for us growing up — my dad had left us, so he wasn’t really in the picture anymore,” Douglas reportedly said. “So my mom had to front all these bills. My dad didn’t really pay the child support. He was short [on money]. It was definitely hard on her part, and she had to take care of me and the rest of my siblings.”

Read more at blackvoices.com

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Source: Washington Post

At 16 years old, Gabby Douglas has gotten her Olympic wish. She just made history as the first African-American and the first woman of color to win the all-around title in women’s gymnastics and she’s only the fourth American gymnast to snag the coveted title in the game’s history.

Gabby had previously said she was hoping to become the first woman of color to win the Olympic all-around gold and she wanted to be the first African American female gymnast to win an individual Olympic medal since Dominique Dawes in 1996, saying, “She was one of my inspirations and role models growing up.” Today the “flying squirrel” did just that.

As USA Today reports:

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.

Today, after two years of training with Liang in Des Moines, all of Gabby’s hard work paid off in London. What an amazing accomplishment at her age. Let the critics take note. Go Gabby!

Brande Victorian is the news and operations editor for madamenoire.com. Follow her on twitter @Be_Vic.

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