Liang Chow

Liang Chow (formerly Qiao Liang, Simplified Chinese: 乔良, Traditional Chinese: 喬良, Pinyin: Qiáo Liáng) (born January 1, 1968, Beijing) is a former Chinese artistic gymnast. He is currently a coach and owner of Chow's Gymnastics and Dance Institute in West Des Moines, Iowa. He is known as the coach of 2008 Olympic balance beam champion Shawn Johnson and 2012 Olympic individual all-around champion Gabby Douglas. He currently coaches senior US gymnast Rachel Gowey and US junior national team members Norah Flatley and Alexis Vasquez.

Biography

Growing up in Beijing, Chow was tapped by a district club at the age of 5 to train in gymnastics. He was on China's national gymnastics team for more than a decade, winning numerous national and international medals. However, he never competed in an Olympic Games; in 1988 he was too young to make the Chinese team, and before 1992 he suffered a back injury and retired from competition.

He moved to the United States in 1991 on the suggestion of his aunt, who was working on her Ph.D. at the University of Iowa. He accepted an English scholarship and a position as an assistant coach for the University of Iowa's men's gymnastics program. Afterwards he accepted a coaching job for the women's program. Following his experience working with female gymnasts, Chow decided to open his own gym to train gymnasts at a younger age, when they would be more flexible and open to learning new skills. He and his wife moved to West Des Moines and opened Chow's Gymnastics and Dance Institute on August 23, 1998. He expanded his operation to an 11 acres (4.5 ha), two-gym facility by 2003. In June 2008, a flood destroyed the facilities.

Gabby Douglas

Gabrielle Christina Victoria "Gabby" Douglas (born December 31, 1995) is an American artistic gymnast. She was a member of the U.S. Women's Gymnastics team, dubbed the Fierce Five by the media, at the 2012 Summer Olympics, where she won gold medals in the individual all-around and team competitions. She was also a member of the gold-winning American team at the 2011 and the 2015 World Championships, and the all-around silver medallist at the 2015 World Championships.

Douglas is the first African American woman in Olympic history to become the individual all-around champion, and the first American gymnast to win gold in both the individual all-around and team competitions at the same Olympics as well as being the only American all-around champion to win multiple gold medals in a single Olympic Game. She is also the first female reigning Olympic all-around champion to return to the World Championships and medal in the all-around since Elena Davydova in 1981.

Early life

Douglas was born in Newport News, Virginia to parents Timothy Douglas and Natalie Hawkins. She has three siblings. Including an older sister named Arielle. She began training in gymnastics at age six when her older sister convinced their mother to enroll her in gymnastics classes. In October 2002, Douglas began her training at Gymstrada.

Shawn Johnson

Shawn Machel Johnson (born January 19, 1992), is a retired American artistic gymnast. She is the 2008 Olympic balance beam gold medalist and team, all-around and floor exercise silver medalist. Johnson is also a five-time Pan American Games gold medalist, winning the team titles in 2007 and 2011, as well as titles in the all-around, uneven bars, and balance beam in 2007.

Johnson became a member of the U.S. senior team in 2007. She is the 2007 individual all-around World Champion and 2007 World Champion on floor exercise. As well as being the 2007 U.S. Champion on balance beam and floor exercise, the 2008 U.S. Champion on floor exercise and silver medalist on balance beam, she is a three-time U.S. all-around Champion, winning once as a junior and twice as a senior.

Johnson announced her retirement from gymnastics on June 3, 2012.

In May 2009, Johnson was the winner of Dancing with the Stars – season eight, and in November 2012 she earned second place on the all-star edition.

Early and personal life

Liang

Liang may refer to:

Chinese history

Chow

Chow may refer to:

People