Gabby Douglas’ last gymnastics competition was at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, where her team won gold.
On Saturday, the three-time gold medalist made a return in the American Classic in Katy, Texas, and qualified for the U.S. Championships, putting her on track to compete at the Olympic Games in Paris this summer.
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Douglas finished tenth in the all-around, but her vault and balancing beam scores qualified her to compete in those events at the U.S. Championships. Douglas will need to file a petition to compete in all four events at the Nationals, which will take place from May 30 to June 2 in Fort Worth, Texas.
Jade Carey, the reigning Olympic gold champion in floor exercise, won the all-around competition.
While the American Classic has little to no direct bearing on Douglas’ prospects of reaching the Paris team, her performance on Saturday was a critical stepping stone, providing an insight into her training development throughout her recovery.
Douglas began the day on a shaky note with the floor exercise. She put her hands down on her first pass and ran out of bounds, scoring an 11.450.
Anyone who had doubts about Douglas’s recovery should witness her in the vault. Douglas completed a spectacular double-twisting Yurchenko in the second spin, earning a score of 14.000—a score that the US women’s team would gladly accept in the final competition in Paris.
She still has a long way to go in the uneven bars, her specialty event. The release techniques that gave her the nickname “The Flying Squirrel” in 2012 remain high-flying, although Douglas came off the bars twice for an 11.850.
During the fourth and final rotation, Douglas demonstrated a clutch performance on the balancing beam. She scored 13.350 to qualify for the U.S. Championships. Douglas, 28, was the oldest athlete on the competition floor.
Douglas had planned to return to competitive gymnastics at the Winter Cup in February but withdrew days before the event owing to a positive COVID test.
“I was so anxious to come back on the competition floor, but I recently tested positive for COVID… I’m devastated, but I’ll see you all soon!” Douglas provided an explanation in an Instagram post at the time.
She originally revealed her plans to return to the Olympics on “Hallie Jackson NOW” earlier this year.
Douglas’ 2012 performance in London made her the first black gymnast to win the Olympic all-around gold medal. Douglas helped the United States women win the team event for the second time in a row at the 2016 Olympics, earning her third gold medal.
Douglas did not compete at the most recent Olympics in Tokyo, which many in the gymnastics community viewed as a de facto retirement declaration.
Suni Lee, the reigning Olympic all-around gold medalist, is also hoping to return to the Olympics. On Saturday, she participated in two of the four apparatuses: the balancing beam and the vault, marking the first time Lee and Douglas competed as seniors.
Lee has been dealing with renal troubles since early last year, forcing her to end her undergraduate career and the 2023 season early. She competed in the 2023 U.S. Championships, but was not selected for the World Championships team.
Saturday’s performance provided some redemption for the breakout star of the Tokyo Olympics. Lee’s performance at the Winter Cup, her first meet of the season, was disappointing, as she fell twice on uneven bars and once on balance beam.
The dances she performed on Saturday were noticeably cleaner, though they may not have been as demanding as she is capable of.
Lee performed admirably on the balance beam on the first spin, opting for a straightforward layout dismount. Lee’s careful routine paid off, as he scored 14.300 to win the tournament.
Lee also competed in the vault, scoring 13.250 with a full-twisting Yurchenko. Lee’s results in the two events qualified her for the U.S. Championships, but, like Douglas, she will have to petition to compete in the all-around.
The next leg on the path to Paris qualification is the Core Hydration Classic, which will take place on May 17 and 18 in Hartford, Connecticut.
Douglas’ inclusion on the US Olympic team would make her the first American woman to make three Olympic teams since Dominique Dawes. Simone Biles, Douglas’ Rio teammate, is also hoping to make her third Olympic team.
This summer’s Olympic trials, held in Minneapolis at the end of June, will select the gymnasts who will represent the United States in Paris. Four weeks prior to the Olympic trials, the United States Championships in Fort Worth will determine the competitors.
