Gabby Douglas’ dreams of making the U.S. women’s gymnastics team for the Paris Olympics have come to an end. The 2012 Olympic all-around champion has withdrawn from the USA Gymnastics Championships due to an ankle injury.
The 28-year-old Douglas, who contributed to the U.S. team’s gold medal win at the 2016 Olympics, was attempting a comeback after an eight-year hiatus. She recently returned to competition at the American Classic and the U.S. Classic in Hartford, Connecticut, but unfortunately fell twice on the uneven bars during her first rotation in the latter event.
While Douglas qualified to compete in three events, she did not reach the minimum score standard for the all-around competition, lowering her chances of securing a spot on the highly competitive five-woman U.S. team.
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Gabby Douglas, 3-time gold medalist, hints at gymnastics comeback
12:37 PM, Jul 14, 2023
Douglas, the first Black woman to claim the Olympic title, announced her return last summer after rediscovering her love for the sport. Despite her disappointment in 2016, Douglas wanted to end her gymnastics career on a positive note.
She has been training in Texas under Valeri Liukin, the father and coach of 2008 Olympic all-around champion Nastia Liukin, for the past two years. Douglas showed glimpses of her former self at the American Classic, but her future in gymnastics remains uncertain.
Although Douglas has not officially retired, her return to the sport was unexpected. Whether she will compete again in the future is uncertain, but the opportunity remains open for her to return to competition if she chooses.