23. Dezember 2012  
Virginia Beach, USA  
Artistic Gymnastics

Gabby Douglas: 2012 Female Athlete

Gabby Douglas (USA)

The US-Gymnast Gabrielle Victoria "Gabby" DOUGLAS" - Olympic all-around winner London 2012 - has been named "The Associated Press 2012 Female athlete of the year".
She edged out swimmer Missy Franklin with 48 of 157 votes from a panel of AP sports editors and news directors.
Douglas is the fourth gymnast to win the award, and first since Mary Lou Retton in 198 -  the first African-American woman to win the coveted all-around Olympic gold medal.
Gabby Douglas, 16-years old, is a native of Virginia Beach, Va., but has been living in West Des Moines, Iowa while working with Chow Gymnastics, which has also produced another standout Olympian, Shawn Johnson.
In October she also received the Women's Sports Foundation "2012 Sportswoman of the Year" Award.

During the 33rd Annual Salute to Women in Sports banquet in New York City Douglas told the AP,
"I didn't realize how much of an impact I made. My mom and everyone said, 'You really won't know the full impact until you're 30 or 40 years old.' But it's starting to sink in."