NEW YORK (Reuters) - Sixteen-year-old Olympic gold medalist Gabby Douglas plans to write an "inspirational memoir" that will be published later this year, People Magazine said on Thursday.

Douglas made history in London at the 2012 Summer Olympics when she became the first African-American to win the gold medal in the all-round individual gymnastics competition.

"Even before I competed in the Olympics, I always wanted to write a book," Douglas told the magazine, adding it will detail how much she and her family overcame to achieve her Olympic dream.

Douglas, who took home two Olympic gold medals, left her family in Virginia when she was 12 years old to train with a new coach in Iowa.

The book, "Grace, Gold and Glory, My Leap of Faith" will be published by the Zondervan division of HarperCollins in December.

"Gabby Douglas shines even more brightly than her Olympic Gold Medals. The reason is her inner strength and strong faith," Lisa Sharkey, Harper's vice president said in a statement.

(Reporting by Patricia Reaney; Editing by Vicki Allen)