Who is Gabby Douglas?
Gabby Douglas is a three-time Olympic gold medalist and record-setter in U.S. gymnastics. Just at 16 years old, Douglas won the all-around gold at the 2012 Olympics in London making her the first black woman to win the Olympic title. At her second Olympics in 2016, Douglas helped the U.S. women’s team in repeating as gold medalists.
So Why Did Douglas Stop Competing After the 2016 Olympics?
Douglas was undoubtedly a force to be reckoned with in the Olympic Games with women’s gymnastics, however, she did not choose to compete at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics because in 2017 she shared on her Instagram that she had been abused by her former national team doctor, Larry Nassar. Douglas expressed how hard this was for her to contain in past years in her statement, “I didn’t publicly share my experiences as well as many other things because for years we were conditioned to stay silent and honestly some things were extremely painful.
What Made Douglas Want to Rejoin the Olympic Team?
Eight years after the 2016 Rio Olympics, Douglas announced her return to international competition and that she hopes to be in the conservation of medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics this year. Douglas stated that it started by watching the 2022 championships which reignited her realization of her passion as a gymnast, “I was watching the 2022 championships, and I was like ‘Man I miss competing.’ And I was trying to figure out how to get this– I’m still a competitor at heart– so I decided to start back training.” Douglas wanted to rekindle her lost love for the sport that she loves wholeheartedly to compete within.
What’s in Store for Douglas as she Kickstarts her Gymnast Legacy again?
Douglas plans to compete at the Winter Cup in Louisville, Kentucky on February 24th against other world-champion gymnasts who are expected to be in the mix for the U.S. Olympic team. Douglas’ performance at this Winter Cup will be the first public indicator in eight years of how she compares to other world-class gymnasts, and she hopes that the Paris 2024 Olympics will be in store for her future agenda.
