Gabby Douglas Once Helped Coin an Iconic Name for Her Team at the London Olympics

Gabby Douglas pulled out from her most awaited competitive comeback to elite gymnastics. The first major meet of the year, the Winter Cup, prepares athletes for the upcoming U.S. Championships and Olympic Trials in May and June. The five women who will represent the United States in the Olympics will be chosen from the trials.

Douglas previously made history with her gold in the 2012 London Olympics, and now could outperform Simone Biles in terms of age and experience when it comes to the current roster of gymnasts. As trials draw closer, what better than reflecting on the remarkable story of the London Olympics’ most talked about camaraderie?

Peek into Gabby Douglas’s storied memoir extract

In Gabby Douglas’s book “Grace, Gold, and Glory: My Leap of Faith,”  published in 2012, wherein she discusses an unfiltered gymnastics journey. In the extract, she talks about the 2012 Olympic team alongside Aly Raisman, McKayla Maroney, Kyla Ross, and Jordyn Wieber which was media dubbed “Fab Five” and later renamed by the gymnasts. The gymnasts decided to change its name to the “Fierce Five” which Douglas explains in her memoir, “We realized that name was already taken by a 1991 University of Michigan basketball team.”

Their goal of gold was symbolized by their nickname, which was later reflected in their fierce competition against Russia in the London Olympics. Douglas became the first African-American woman to win the all-around title and became the fourth American after Mary Lou Retton, Carly Patterson, and Nastia Liukin to win the feat.

In addition, her outstanding performance alongside McKayla Maroney and Jordyn Wieber earned them the top slots in the vault and guided the team to a golden victory. Now, entering the mats focused on unfinished business, Douglas continues to extend fans’ anticipation to watch her perform,

Return to the mats

Rumors about Douglas’s return to gymnastics swirled around in 2022, spurred by her wish for a happier end to her previous appearance in 2016. Douglas declared her comeback in early 2023, with her coach confirming it, stating her goal was to compete in the 2024 Paris Olympics.

She was going to make a comeback at the 2024 Winter Cup, but after testing positive for COVID-19 she had to pull out of the competition. Douglas continues to stand as the epitome of excellence and resilience through her return to competitive gymnastics, demonstrating her unyielding spirit in the face of hardship.

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