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ZONDERVAN

Raising the Bar


Copyright 2013 by Gabrielle Douglas
This title is also available as a Zondervan ebook.
Visit www.zondervan.com/ebooks.
Requests for information should be addressed to:
Zondervan, 5300 Patterson Ave. SE, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49530
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Douglas, Gabrielle, 1995
Raising the bar / Gabrielle Douglas
pages cm
ISBN 978-0-310-74070-4 (hard cover : alk. paper)
1. Douglas, Gabrielle, 1995- 2. Women gymnastsUnited States
Biography. 3. Women Olympic athletesUnited StatesBiography. I. Title.
GV460.2.D68A3 2013
796.44092dc23
[B]
2013004067
All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Holy Bible,
New International Version, NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica,
Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Photos provided by Gabrielle Douglas and family unless otherwise noted.
Any Internet addresses (websites, blogs, etc.) and telephone numbers in this book
are offered as a resource. They are not intended in any way to be or imply an endorsement by Zondervan, nor does Zondervan vouch for the content of these sites
and numbers for the life of this book.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic, mechanical,
photocopy, recording, or any otherexcept for brief quotations in printed reviews,
without the prior permission of the publisher.
Cover design: Cindy Davis
Cover photography: Keith Cephus
Interior design: Alexea Rhodes, Bokmeow Media
Printed in Mexico
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B rya n S y n d e r / r e u t e r S / l a n d O V

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B rya n S y n d e r / r e u t e r S / l a n d O V

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RegularT een,

AMERICAS CHAMPION

Gabrielle Douglas is

aNd first womaN


the first african american
of color from aNy NatioN
individual
to win a gold medal in the
mpetition
gymnastics all-around co
gymnast
the fourth american female
to win the gold

faCing page tiMOthy a. Clary/afp/getty iMageS; thiS page, glitter: naStCO/iStOCKphOtO.COM

the first u.s. gymnast


nors
to receive both of those ho
in a single olympic Games

Those are big accomplishments for a four-foot


eleven-inch sixteen-year-old from Virginia. But she is
still a normal American teen who is figuring out who
she is and whats next in her life. Dive into Gabrielles
world from her perspective, and get to know this
bubbly athlete who stole Americas heart and made
an entire country cheer.

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Current
Residence:

Birth Order:

west des moiNes, iowa

Siblings:

Home scHool aNd


oNliNe tutoriNG

youNGest of four

arielle, Joyelle, JoHNatHaN

Birthplace:

Newport News, virGiNia

Parents:

Natalie HawkiNs
aNd timotHy douGlas

Furry Family Members:


zoway aNd cHaNdler

School:
Sport:

womeNs artistic GymNastics,


started at six years old

Club:

cHows GymNastics aNd daNce


iNstitute

JaCK SulliVan/alaMy; MiKe BlaKe/reuterS/landOV; ap iMageS/gregOry Bull.

december 31, 1995

t h i S p a g e l e f t t O r i g h t:

Birthdate:

Gabby

fa C i n g pa g e B e n S ta n S a l l / a f p / g e t t y i M a g e S

GOLDEN

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Connections
F A M I L Y

A N D

F R I E N D S

Keith CephuS, gaBrielleS perSOnal phOtOgrapher

w w w. K e i t h C e p h u S . C O M

M Y

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The Real Superstars:


My Fam

y gymnastics dreams have only been possible because


I have one thing: the love and support of my amazing

family. Laughing and relaxing with them away from the gym
made all those training hours easier to get through. Of course,
I have to give so much credit to my mother: Do you have any
idea how many sacrifices she made to pay for my training? She
worked long hours just so she could have the money to take
care of our family, as well as invest in my dream.
The rest of my family also sacrificed too: My sister Arielle
gave up ballroom dancing and Joyelle stopped ice-skating
so Mom could afford to keep me in my sport. Theyve done
everything possible to support me. And when I was hundreds of
miles away in Iowa, they cheered me on from Virginia. Joy and
I often Skyped or called each other after watching our favorite
TV shows. I talked to Mom almost every day, and Arielle and
John usually got on the line afterward. What a gift my family
has been to me!
In a way, Ive been blessed twice: I was born into the best
family a girl could ask for (really!), and I then found a second
family in Iowa. When Travis and Missy Parton took me in,
their love and encouragement made the hard days a little
less difficult. If you have to be away from your mom,
sisters, and brother, Ive gotta tell you, the Parton home is
a great spot to land. Travis, Missy, and the girls became
an extended family for me. I will always be grateful for
my two familiestheyre all-around golden.

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My Family
laugh a lot with my family. We all tell hilarious stories, and we
like to climb into my moms bed and hang out there. My mom

has been with me through thick and thin, the tough and the rough.

Mom

Natalie HawkiNs:

Theres no greater joy than


for a parent to see their child
reach their dream.

Sister

arielle:
I taught her a cartwheel,
then the next day I saw her
doing one-handed cartwheels
and I thought, I didnt teach

Natalie Hawkins
@livlonglivstrng

My kids have me over here laughing


hard! Love it when we are all together
its a straight comedy show!

Arielle Hawkins
@ArieHawk

Love hanging with the fam @gabrielledoug


@livlonglivstrng @DJoybells &
@dougieFfresh25! We seriously need our
own show #NeverADullMoment lol

you that, thats not part of the

thiS page tOp tO BOttOM Keith CephuS, SCOttwynn.COM

lesson until a week from now.

Sister
Joyelle:

I was so happy when

my sister was on the podium.


I just kept thinking,

Joyelle Douglas
@DJoybells

Congrats to my beautiful sister @


gabrielledoug for being awarded Sports
Women of the year! You look absolutely
fantastic ;)

She did itshe won!

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Johnathan Douglas
@dougieFfresh25

My sis @gabrielledoug was the first


African American to win gold in 2012 At
London Olympic games We DID IT @
gabrielledoug YOU DID IT sooooo proud
of you

Gabrielle Douglas
@gabrielledoug

Brother
JoHNatHaN:

Johnathan and Gabrielle


are best friends.

Grandfather
tHeodore HawkiNs:

Oprah nicknamed Gabrielles grandfather


Theodore Mr. Subtle when she interviewed
him after the Olympics. He likes wearing
his Gabby T-shirt, the one that says Flying
Squirrel on the front and Gabbys
Grandpa on the back.

thiS page: gd twitter phOtO: MiSSy partOn; tOp phOtO: Keith CephuS

@dougie128 You have always been there


for me when times got tough every minute
you were right there supporting me and
telling me to NEVER give up no matter
what! I couldnt have asked for a better
brother. I love you SO much words cant
even describe!

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thiS page: gd twitter phOtO: MiSSy partOn; tOp phOtO: Keith CephuS

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SCOtt halleran/getty iMageS fOr KellOggS

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i am so
grateful God
has truly
blessed me.
remember to
always give him
the glory for
he is Great!
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