Gabby Douglas is officially back.
It remains to be seen whether the gymnastics star’s return to the sport will continue through to the Paris Olympics.
Douglas, who became the first black woman to win the Olympic all-around title when she triumphed in London in 2012, competed Saturday for the first time in eight years at the American Classic.
The 28-year-old looked rusty in spots and promising in others while posting a 50.65 all-around score. Douglas has qualified in several events for the U.S. championships in Fort Worth, Texas, next month. She will have another chance to qualify for the all-around at the national championships when she takes the stage at the US Classic in Hartford, Connecticut, on May 18.
Douglas last competed at the 2016 Rio Olympics, where she helped the Americans win a second straight gold medal in the team competition. She took an extended break from the sport but never officially retired. The urge to return returned while watching the 2022 U.S. Championships, and she spent most of the last two years training in the Dallas area with the goal of trying to make the U.S. team. five women who will be heavily favored to win gold. in Paris this summer.
His return, however, remains shrouded in mystery. She was supposed to compete at the Winter Cup in February, but withdrew days before after testing positive for COVID-19. She has limited media exposure and unlike 2020 Olympic gold medalists Sunisa Lee and Jade Carey, who competed at the American Classic, she chose not to participate in podium training on Friday.
Douglas stepped out onto the floor about an hour before the competition and showed flashes of what made her a star in London. Her Yurchenko double twist on vault had plenty of range, and on bars – her best event – she had the makings of a routine that would certainly be competitive at the elite level.
Less than 100 days before the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, drone images show the sites which will host certain Games events.
The challenge will be to find a way to systematically combine all the pieces.
Douglas came off the bars twice and her floor routine lacked the liveliness and stamina to compete with anyone hoping to make a serious bid for the Olympic team.
There’s time left for Douglas, but not much. The US Classic will take place in three weeks. The American championships are at five and the Olympic trials will take place in Minneapolis at the end of June.
Carey, who won floor exercise gold in Tokyo, won the all-around with a score of 55.000 while also recording top scores on vault and floor exercise. Lee, who has suffered from kidney-related health issues for two years, put together a dazzling bars routine to win easily with a score of 15.200.
NBC Chicago
