Gabby Douglas Wins The Gold.

[Bishop: Larry Spates]

Gabby Douglas, Catapulted into the Americanconsciousness Thursday night with a transcendent performance in the women's all-around, the crown jewel of the Olympics gymnastics program.

The bubbly athlete danced, tumbled and flung her way to the gold medal and into history two days after leading the United States to its first team goal medal in 16 years.

Hardly on the gymnastics radar a year ago, Douglas rode a meteoric ascent to celebrity status by demolishing 23 other competitors through the four-routine program. She posted a score of 62.232 points, almost three-tenths ahead of graceful Russian Viktoria Komova, who was inconsolable afterward.

Douglas also became the first African-American gold medalist in the event's history.

American Alexandra Raisman, 18, lost the bronze medal in a tiebreaking rule her coach didn't know existed. Russian Aliya Mustafina was awarded third place after officials dropped the lowest scores for both gymnasts to determine their placements.

From the first moment, though, it was the 4-foot-11 Douglas' night. This 98-pound Squirrel came to the 02 Arena in North Greenwich as if intoxicated with fairy dust.

"I wanted to seize the moment," she said.

Douglas, 16, owned it with a performance that just might have overshadowed the incomparable Michael Phelps, who struck gold at the pool Thursday night.