We can all watch Gabby Douglas get ready for the 2016 Olympics. #Winning
Remember Gabby Douglas? The (now) 19-year-old gymnast? The badass athlete who was a member of the US Gymnastics Team during the 2012 Summer Olympics? The gold medal winner?? Alright, that’s enough of an introduction. If you don’t know who Gabby is, get thee to YouTube and watch this insane video of her floor routine from the London Olympics. It’s perfection.
Gabby, the Olympic champion and all around incredible human being, will now be the star of a TV reality show — and not just any ol’ reality show, a reality show where we see what it really takes to get to the Olympics. Under the current title Douglas Family Gold, we will get to follow Gabby and her family on the Oxygen Network as they balance their everyday lives alongside Gabby’s training schedule for the next Olympic Games.
Since the Olympics are fast approaching in 2016, I anticipate the show will be action-packed and inspiring. Hopefully in addition to the family dynamics, and Olympic practicalities we’ll also get to see some gorgeous gymnastics. Pause for a second and just admire Gabby on the beam during the Olympics in 2012.
Like, wut? That’s unreal.
Why is this show a big deal? Beyond the fact that we’re just excited to see Gabby in action, it is a big deal because she’s just such an inspiration. In addition to her seriously crazy gymnastics skills, Gabby is also a huge role model for so many young African-American women, not to mention an inspiring example of natural black beauty. During the Olympics, Gabby was criticized about what detractors called her unkempt hair. Gabby spoke back in such an awesome way, and considering she was only 16 at the time, with SO much wisdom.
“I don’t know where this is coming from,” she told the Associated Press. “What’s wrong with my hair? I’m like, ‘I just made history and people are focused on my hair? It can be bald or short, it doesn’t matter about (my) hair . . . Nothing is going to change. I’m going to wear my hair like this during beam and bar finals. You might as well stop talking about it.”
Yup we’re pretty ready to watch this incredible athlete with such poise and power take over our television. We can only imagine that the people who raised Gabby are equally as strong, talented, and beautiful. To the Olympics we go!
Featured image via.