Gabby Douglas vs Suni Lee: With Simone Biles’ Absence, Who Will Take Winter Cup Crown?

The much-anticipated event, the Winter Cup, will take place in Louisville, Kentucky and is here to stay. The qualifying event for the 2024 U.S. Gymnastics Championships will be held from February 23 to 25 at the International Convention Center. Venerable gymnasts Gabby Douglas and Sunisa Lee are set to etch history by competing. However, the Rio Olympic gold medalist, Simone Biles, is notably absent, as she is poised to start later this year.

With Lee’s Winter Cup confirmation and Gabby Douglas’ comeback, fans are wondering who will lift the glorious cup this time. While anticipation of how they will be pitted against each other, the Winter Cup is the paramount event that will pave the path for the gymnasts to get a spot in the junior and senior national teams for the grand stage. Lee was slated to return alongside the formidable face off between Douglas and Lee.

Suni Lee to compete at the Winter Cup alongside Gabby Douglas

USA Gymnastics thrilled Suni Lee’s fans with a major announcement. On its official X handle, USA Gymnastics confirmed her Winter Cup entry. The post caption read, “Suni Lee is headed to Louisville! ❄️ The reigning Olympic All-Around Champion is now registered to compete at #WinterCup!.”

Lee hasn’t competed since August because of health issues and opted out of last year’s world championships selection camp. Because of her kidney problem and the challenge of balancing training with medication adjustments, she chose to stay away. However, now she is returning with full zest. Suni Lee aims to bring her A game owing to her recent team training camp fervor. Douglas, the Olympic all-around champion from the 2012 Olympics, also announced her competitive return at the Winter Cup after an eight-year hiatus and has been steadily perfecting her performance on the uneven bars and many more, under the iron clad tutelage of Valeri Liukin. Douglas last competed at the Rio Olympics.

However, Simone Biles took to Twitter to confirm her absence from the Winter Cup lineup. While she hasn’t confirmed the reason, she is possibly delaying the start of her season until later this year, which is likely at the U.S. Classic in May. With Biles’ notable absence, Douglas and Lee will battle it out and seal their fate on the mats in the quest for Winter Cup glory.

A tale to write home about – Douglas or Lee to be the flag-bearers of 2024?

With both Suni Lee and Gabby Douglas honing their strengths for the ultimate showdown, it remains to be seen what impact they will create, taking their fortes and Achilles’ heels into account. Weighing in on who has a better probability of lifting the Winter Cup crown, it becomes essential to note that Suni Lee competed in the Winter Cup back in 2021, securing first on bars and third on beam.

Read More: Paris Olympics 2024: Suni Lee Sets Sights on Winter Cup Glory

Hence, the reigning Olympic champion will pose a tremendous threat. At the Classics last year, she earned a second place at 14.500 behind Simone Biles, who scored 14.800. Gabby Douglas is returning after an eight-year layoff. The trailblazer in the Olympics, Douglas is working profusely on her form and poise, sharing updates through social media. Now that she intends to compete in the upcoming winter, her heroic antiques make her as a strong competitor, finishing 7th in the July 2016 Olympic trials.

There will be cutthroat competition between these two phenoms as they script history. Given that Douglas is an all-around champion at the Olympics, fans are well-acquainted with her dominance. We wait with bated breath as to who emerges the victor.

Watch this story: After Having a “Spooky” Halloween, Gymnastics Queen Simone Biles Gears Up for Another On-Camera Appearance