Three-time Olympic gold medalist Gabby Douglas's bid to make the US team for the Paris Olympics came to an end after she withdrew from the U.S. championships due to an ankle injury sustained during training. The 28-year-old gymnast, who became the first Black woman to win the Olympic all-around title at the 2012 London Games and helped the US earn back-to-back team golds in London and Rio in 2016, had announced her comeback in February and returned to competition in April at the American Classic. However, she struggled on bars during her first rotation at the U.S. Classic earlier this month and withdrew from the remainder of the competition.
Douglas was scheduled to compete on three of the four events at this weekend's U.S. Championships in Fort Worth, Texas, after failing to qualify as an all-around competitor. The winners at the championships will compete at the Olympic Trials on June 27-30.
Despite her injury setback, Douglas plans to continue training in preparation for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. She told ESPN that she hopes to inspire both her peers and the next generation of gymnasts that age is just a number and you can accomplish anything you work hard for.
Douglas's withdrawal from the U.S. championships ends her bid for a spot on the Paris Olympic team, but she leaves behind an impressive legacy in gymnastics. Her 2012 performance in London made her the first Black gymnast to win the Olympic all-around gold medal, and at the 2016 Olympics, she helped the US women to their second consecutive win in the team event, earning her a third Olympic gold medal.
The U.S. selection committee will consider petitions for athletes who were a member of the 2020 Olympic team or world championships teams in 2021 or 2023, as well as athletes who represented the country internationally during the current competitive season to compete at the Olympic trials.
Simone Biles, another three-time Olympic gold medalist and Douglas's teammate in Rio, is also eyeing her third Olympic team this summer.
