Gabby Douglas is aiming for another gold medal.
The American gymnastics icon announced Tuesday night that she is returning to competitive gymnastics and is “definitely” aiming to compete at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.
Douglas made a name for himself as a member of the “Fierce Five” who won the team all-around gold medal in 2012 and the “Final Five” who won the gold medal again in 2016. Announced on “Harry Jackson NOW”.
“It would mean a lot. I definitely had to put in a lot of effort,” Douglas said of the possibility of representing the United States again at the Olympics. “But it would mean a lot. I would love to come back and represent America just one more time. Just to have that feeling of being a part of something. It’s great to be part of the team again. And it’s a great honor.”
The 28-year-old gymnast is scheduled to compete at the Winter Cup in Louisville, Kentucky, later this month, which will be Douglas’ first appearance since the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio.
This event is the first elite gymnastics competition of the year.
Douglas announced his return to the sport in an Instagram post last summer.
Douglas has already cemented her place in the sport’s history as the first black gymnast to win an Olympic individual all-around gold medal at the 2012 London Games, and was also a member of the historic USA gymnastics team in 2012 and 2016. Ta.
It was the first gold medal for an American woman in a team event since the 1996 “Magnificent Seven.”
Douglas also won a gold medal in the team all-around in 2016, bringing his total to three gold medals.
Eight years later, she was inspired to compete again while watching the 2022 championships and is looking to add more hardware to her trophy case.
“I was like, ‘I miss the game,'” Douglas recalled. “I was wondering what to do…I’m still a competitor at heart. I’m trying to figure out a way to take this away from me. I decided to start training my back. My time. I took it and found myself in the gym and thought, “Okay, maybe I should try this again.” I started training from that moment and I thought, ‘I can’t believe I’m here again.’ ”
Douglas never officially announced his retirement, but did not attempt to make the Olympic team for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
She could become the first American woman to make three Olympic teams since Dominique Dawes, with fellow gymnastics star Simone Biles also trying to accomplish that feat this year.
Speculation had begun to emerge that Douglas would compete at the Olympics again in 2022 after posts were posted on social media showing him training in a new gym.
Asked if this was a comeback for her, Douglas admitted that it was “sort of” for her.
“I didn’t want this sport to end like it did in 2016,” she explained. “I wanted to take a step back and look at myself and work on my mental state. I love gymnastics, I love pushing myself every day, and I love sports. I didn’t want to come home with a bad day. , I want to make sure, but as I think I said before, I really want to do my best and finish on a good note.”
The Winter Cup will be held from February 23rd to 25th.
