“Got Humbled Pretty Hard”: US Gymnast Donnell Whittenburg Vying for a Spot at Olympic Trials Recalled Rio Heartbreak for Paris Motivation

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BySimone Pinto

Jun 28, 2024 | 1:22 PM EDT

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“Don’t say the sky is the limit when there’s footprints on the moon” – Donnell Whittenburg has always believed that nothing is impossible. The 29-year-old gymnast first came into the limelight back in 2016 during the Rio Olympics. But as fate would have it, he didn’t make it to the final roster. Refusing to let go of a dream deferred like a raisin in the dust, Whittenburg had tried to take another shot in 2020, but came up short. But is that going to be denting his sheen anytime soon?

Instead of letting go, the World Championships bronze medalist shifted his focus to other major competitions to continue honing his skills. Despite a few injuries slowing him down over the years, he never backed down from challenges. At the 2023 Pan American Games, he clinched a gold, keeping the Olympic dream alive. As he steps into the Target Center for his third try at Olympic glory, Whittenburg is hopeful that the third time will be the charm for him. Is redemption the name of the game? He recalled the ghosts from his past recently and it was illuminating, so to speak.

Donnell Whittenburg looks back at the chinks in his armor

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Minneapolis has set an electric atmosphere for the U.S. Gymnastics Trials from 27th June to 30th June. Among 20 hopeful gymnasts, Donnell Whittenburg will be looking to make the final five making their way to Paris. The men’s gymnastics trials took place on the 27th, and the final five will be announced on the 29th. Ahead of the events, Whittenburg looked back at the heartbreak in Rio with Olympics.com. He recalled, “I got humbled pretty hard at that moment, so I think having that happen kind of reset my mind to be like, ‘Oh, even if you were one of the best in the country…anything can happen.”

Many believed he would give up on his quest post the 2021 Trials, but Whittenburg was adamant to cross the Summer Games off his checklist. His mom, Sheila Brown, once told him that as long as he’s healthy and he can still do it, he might as well keep going as long as he can. Looks like Donnell Whittenburg has taken that to heart. With a newfound vigor, the gymnast will be fighting for a spot for what’s possibly one last time. If he punches his ticket to Paris, he would be the oldest American gymnast in the U.S. men’s national team.

In 2022, Donnell Whittenburg found his momentum back and clinched the all-around silver at the U.S. Championships. He missed out on the gold to 2020 Tokyo Olympian Brody Malone. Whittenburg is often known for his performance on the floor, vault, and rings. He will be stepping into Target center as the defending vault national championship, a feat he accomplished at the 2024 U.S. Xfinity Games in Fort Worth Texas.

Despite being the strongest in three events, Whittenburg believes he has a shot at Paris if he competes across all six – Pommel Horse, Still Rings, Vault, Floor Exercise, Horizontal and Parallel Bars. While he is looking to make it to his first ever Summer Games, he has now learned that the outcome doesn’t necessarily corelate with his abilities. He just wants to make sure he puts his best foot forward. But what happened in 2016?

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Rio 2016 “shoo-in” turned alternate disappointment

Donnell Whittenburg walked into the Olympic Trials as one of the US gold hopefuls but fell short and didn’t make the final five headed to Rio. His name was instead called as an alternate accompanying the national team. This didn’t dissuade him because two U.S. alternates did get the chance to compete at the 2008 Olympics. Whittenburg had also had the chance to promote the Rio Games in a commercial with Michael Phelps. So his excitement to head over to the Summer Games was off the charts.

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But to his dismay, he never got the chance to step on to the floor in Rio. While there was nothing wrong with being an alternate, Whittenburg didn’t want to settle for this. Watching the best of the best compete on the grand stage was a bittersweet experience, and he wanted to feel that as one of the final five and not an alternate. At the 2021 Olympic Trials, he didn’t even make it to the top, which only added to the disappointment. But he is way past that now.

After an entire decade of his World Championships since 2014, Whittenburg has continued to leave a mark on the international stage. With the U.S. Gymnastic Olympics Trials underway, Donnell Whittenburg will be putting his heart on the line one last time. Will we see the 29-year-old make his Olympic debut in Paris? We will find out tomorrow. Stay tuned!