- Three-time Olympic gold medalist Gabby Douglas announces return to competitive gymnastics
- Douglas will compete at Winter Cup in February, her first competition since the 2016 Rio Olympics
- At 28 years old, Douglas aims to redeem herself and secure a spot on the five-person Olympic team, facing competition from Simone Biles and Sunisa Lee.
Additional Coverage:
- Gabby Douglas will return to competitive gymnastics this month as she targets 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris (newsbreak.com)
Gabby Douglas, a three-time Olympic gold medalist and the first Black gymnast to win the all-around Olympic gold in 2012, has announced her return to competitive gymnastics. In an interview with NBC News NOW’s “Hallie Jackson NOW,” Douglas revealed that she will be competing at the Winter Cup in Louisville, Ky., on Feb. 24. This will be her first competition since the 2016 Rio Olympics, although she made her return to the sport known in August 2023.
Douglas expressed her competitiveness, stating that she missed competing after watching the 2022 championships. This led her back to the gym, where she found herself considering a return to the sport. She acknowledged her passion for competition and her desire to give it another shot.
During the 2016 Rio Olympics, Douglas helped Team USA secure gold in the team event, just as she did in 2012. However, she failed to qualify for the all-around final and finished seventh in the uneven bars. She also faced backlash and criticism for not placing her hand over her heart during the national anthem, which she described as “hurtful.”
At 28 years old, Douglas will be the oldest competitor at the Winter Cup. She expressed her determination not to end her gymnastics journey the same way she did in 2016. While practicing on all four apparatuses, she admitted to putting a little more focus on the uneven bars.
The competition for Olympic spots will be intense, with Simone Biles also aiming for her third appearance and reigning Olympic all-around champion Sunisa Lee vying for a place on the five-person team. It will certainly be an exciting battle to watch among these talented gymnasts.