In a heartbreaking announcement, Gabby Douglas withdrew from the Xfinity U.S. Gymnastics Championships this week due to an ankle injury, putting an end to her bid for the Paris Olympics. The championships, scheduled to run from Thursday to Sunday in Fort Worth, Texas, will see women’s competition beginning on Friday. Despite the setback, Douglas remains confident in her abilities and plans to focus on training for a potential 2028 Olympic bid.
After returning to competition in April for the first time since the 2016 Rio Games, Douglas finished 11th in the all-around at the American Classic. She performed well in individual events, placing second on vault and tying for fifth on the balance beam. During her second competition back on May 18, Douglas withdrew from the Core Hydration Classic after her routine on uneven bars, where she fell off the apparatus twice. Despite this setback, she expressed her love for the sport and her determination to keep pushing her limits.
Douglas hopes to inspire both her peers and the next generation of gymnasts by showing that age is just a number and hard work can lead to great achievements. She stated “I proved to myself and to the sport that my skills remain at an elite level.”
