Gabby Douglas, a three-time gold medalist in gymnastics, recently made a comeback at the American Classic in Katy, Texas, and qualified to compete at the U.S. Championships. Although she finished 10th in the all-around, her performance on the vault and balance beam allowed her to qualify for those two events at the Championships. The American Classic was an important stepping stone for Douglas, showcasing her progress since her last competition in the 2016 Olympics.
Jade Carey, the reigning Olympic gold medalist in the floor exercise, won the all-around competition at the American Classic. While the event itself may have little bearing on Douglas’ chances of making the Olympic team for Paris this summer, her performance was an important marker of her training progress. Despite a shaky start on the floor exercise, Douglas impressed with a strong showing on the vault and balance beam, earning qualifying scores for those events at the U.S. Championships.
Douglas, who is now 28 years old and the oldest competitor at the American Classic, had initially aimed to make her comeback at the Winter Cup in February. However, she had to withdraw from the competition after testing positive for COVID-19. Her return to competitive gymnastics was an eagerly anticipated moment, as she announced her intention to compete at the U.S. Championships and, ultimately, at the Olympics earlier this year.
Suni Lee, the reigning Olympic all-around gold medalist, is also aiming for a return to competitive gymnastics. Lee faced off against Douglas at the American Classic, competing on the balance beam and vault. Despite a disappointing performance at her first meet of the season, Lee showed improvement at the American Classic and earned qualifying scores for the U.S. Championships in those two events.
Both Douglas and Lee will need to petition to compete in the all-around at the U.S. Championships. The next step in the qualification process for the Paris Olympics is the Core Hydration Classic in Hartford, Connecticut. If Douglas makes the U.S. Olympic team, she will become the first American woman since Dominique Dawes to compete in three Olympic Games. Simone Biles, another teammate of Douglas from the Rio Olympics, is also aiming for her third Olympic appearance.
Overall, Douglas’ comeback at the American Classic marked an important milestone in her journey back to competitive gymnastics. Despite some initial challenges, she demonstrated significant progress and secured her spot at the U.S. Championships in key events. With the support of her teammates and coaches, Douglas is on track to potentially make history by competing in her third Olympic Games in Paris this summer.
