Returning to the sport after an eight-year hiatus, three-time Olympic gold medalist Gabby Douglas made her official comeback at the American Classic in Katy, Texas. The 28-year-old gymnast, who made history as the first Black woman to win the Olympic all-around title in London 2012, showed a mix of rustiness and promise during her performance, scoring 50.65 in the all-around event.
Douglas managed to qualify in multiple events for the upcoming U.S. Championships in Fort Worth, Texas. Her next opportunity to secure a spot in the all-around competition will be at the U.S. Classic in Hartford, Connecticut, scheduled for May 18. Whether her return will lead to a spot on the Paris Olympics team is yet to be determined.
Gabby Douglas Makes a Comeback in Gymnastics
Having last competed at the 2016 Rio Olympics, where she contributed to the American team's gold medal win, Gabby Douglas never officially retired from the sport. After feeling the urge to return while watching the 2022 U.S. Championships, she has been training in the Dallas area for the past two years with the goal of making the U.S. team for the upcoming Olympics in Paris.
Despite her desire to return, Douglas's comeback has been somewhat mysterious. She was set to compete at the Winter Cup in February but had to withdraw after testing positive for COVID-19. Unlike some of her fellow gymnasts, she has limited press exposure and chose not to participate in podium training before the recent competition.
During the event, Douglas showcased glimpses of her past brilliance. Her vault and bars routines displayed her skill and potential competitiveness at the elite level. However, she struggled with consistency, falling off the bars twice and lacking the required crispness and endurance in her floor routine.
While there is still time for Douglas to improve, the upcoming competitions are fast approaching. The U.S. Classic is in three weeks, followed by the U.S. Championships in five weeks, and then the Olympic Trials in late June.
After clinching gold on the floor exercise in Tokyo, Carey emerged victorious in the all-around competition with a score of 55.000. She also achieved the highest scores on vault and floor routines. Despite facing kidney-related health challenges over the past two years, Lee showcased a stunning performance on the bars, securing an easy win with a score of 15.200.
