Nickname
Don Don (usagym.org, 16 Aug 2015)
Occupation
Athlete
Education
DeVry University, United States
Spoken languages
English
Club
Salto Gymnastics [Waukesha, WI, USA]
Coach
Anthony Ingrelli [club]
Injuries
He had a knee injury in the early part of 2019. (baltimoresun.com, 19 Aug 2019)
He was bothered by elbow pain in 2018 and 2019. (baltimoresun.com, 19 Aug 2019)
In November 2017 he underwent shoulder surgery. He returned to training in April 2018. (thegymter.net, 30 Apr 2018)
Start sporting career
He took up gymnastics in 2002 in Baltimore, MD, United States of America. (usagym.org, 16 Aug 2015; baltimoresun.com, 19 Feb 2014)
Reason for taking up the sport
"I began gymnastics because I was teaching myself skills and doing 'backyard gymnastics' and my mum didn't want me to hurt myself. My coach saw me in classes and told my mum to put me on the team." (usagym.org, 16 Aug 2015)
Ambitions
To compete at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. (washingtonpost.com, 18 Aug 2022)
Hero / Idol
Chinese gymnast Li Xiaopeng. (nbcolympics.com, 06 Apr 2016)
Most influential person in career
His mother Sheila, and coach Abdul Mammeri. (nbcolympics.com, 06 Apr 2016; attamericancup.com, 05 Mar 2016)
Philosophy / Motto
"Don't say the sky is the limit when there's footprints on the moon" [he has this tattooed on his torso]. (Facebook profile, 03 Jun 2021)
Additional information
General
OLYMPIC DREAM
He considered retiring from competition in 2021, but ultimately decided to continue pursuing his dream of competing at the Olympic Games. "I still feel like I'm missing something. And that's literally the one thing. I've done just about everything you could possibly do in this sport, except going to the Olympic Games. As long as I'm healthy and I have the will to keep going, why not? I definitely have to give credit to one of my good friends, [Dutch gymnast] Casimir Schmidt. He kind of sent me like a letter saying like, 'Since we, you know, we both haven't made the Olympic team, let's just keep pushing and try to make this happen'. And, you know, that kind of really hit like a soft spot. And I was like, 'You know what? That's my boy. He's still going. I might as well keep going, too'." (washingtonpost.com, 18 Aug 2022; olympics.com, 20 Aug 2022)
NAMED ELEMENT
In June 2017 the International Gymnastics Federation [FIG] named an element on the rings 'The Whittenburg'. The element, a triple salto backward piked, was first performed by him in May 2017 at the World Challenge Cup in Koper, Slovenia. (fig-gymnastics.com, 02 Jun 2017)
OUTSIDER
Growing up in Baltimore, MD, United States of America, he recalls being the only person at his school involved in gymnastics. "They thought it was weird. I didn't think it was weird. Everyone has their own path, their own journey, so I was just doing mine. I grew up in not the greatest area for school. Gymnastics took me out of that environment. If it wasn't for gymnastics, my life wouldn't be like this. It's a blessing. I have this sport and it took away a lot of negativity. I was so ready to go to gymnastics every day after school." (nbcolympics.com, 11 May 2016; attamericancup.com, 05 Mar 2016)
Last update : 2022-10-10
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