“Gold medals are made out of your sweat, blood and tears.” Uttered the inimitable Gabby Douglas. Gabby Douglas created history by clinching her first Olympic gold in 2012 and the rest is history. She was the first black gymnast to win an Olympic title. This also made her the first American to win a gold in both the team and all-around events at the same Summer Games. 

Douglas went on to win another team gold at the next Games in Rio. Despite being a breakthrough star, she disappeared from the global stage for eight long years. But Douglas was prepared to step back on the mat with reinvigorated fervor. She announced her anticipated return in February and made her season debut at the American Classic in Katy, Texas. However, that was short-lived, much to the dismay of her fans. Now, the question remains as to whether she will be seen giving it her all at the Olympic Trials.

An abrupt end to Gabby Douglas’ bid for Paris 2024

The three-time Olympic gold medalist went on to compete at the Core Hydration Classic 2024 in Connecticut. But things started to take a turn for the worst when Douglas started struggling on the uneven bars. She then decided to withdraw from the rest of the event after this. Things seemed to only get worse from here on. She was set to compete at the 2024 Xfinity Gymnastics Championships. But an unfortunate ankle injury she incurred during training over the weekend forced her to pull out of the Championships as well. In a candid conversation with ESPN, Douglas expressed, “I love this sport and I love pushing my limits”. From a remarkable performance in London and Rio to now, she has had an illustrious journey, but there’s only so much the human body can take.

Many elite gymnasts retire from the sport at 25. But the 28-year-old stated, “I hope I can inspire both my peers and the next generation of gymnasts that age is just a number, and you can accomplish anything you work hard for.” Before she withdrew, Douglas had qualified to compete in three events at the Xfinity Games. But, the injury merely days before the event abruptly ended her short-lived comeback. It seems like the two-time Olympian has made the strategic decision to get some much-needed rest before she takes a crack at any new competitions. If anything, it isn’t like her Olympic dreams are done and dusted. 2028 still beckons with open arms.

The U.S. Olympic Gymnastic trials will take place at the Target center from 27th – 30th June. This was the last hurdle standing between Douglas and her Olympic dreams. Even though she will be sitting this one out, she has something up her sleeve. She hasn’t given up the idea of competing at her third Summer Games just yet! How nebulous and murky is her next greener pasture/dreams though? Let’s find out.

What’s next in the cards for the elite gymnast?

Gabby Douglas’ decision to withdraw from the 2024 Xfinity Championships sent fans into a frenzy. Many were looking forward to watching her at the trials in Minneapolis. The three-time Olympian gold medalist has put their mind to ease. She confessed, “My plan is to continue to train for the L.A. 2028 Olympics. It would be such an honor to represent the U.S. at a home Olympics.” If she qualifies for the 2028 Summer Games, she would be the oldest American female gymnast since Dominque Dawes. 

Many fans believed Douglas had retired when she didn’t compete in Tokyo. She had proclaimed that-“It ended rough for me in 2016 so I didn’t want to end on that note,”. But she wanted to end her Olympic run hitting the ground running and decided to return to the floor mat to continue doing what she loves. She will now be on the mend, and will come back to compete at her home turf at 32. A sabbatical galore? More gymnastic tricks and sinews in the cards for her? This is left to our imagination to concoct.  

Fans have been vying for many younger gymnasts for LA 2028. But Douglas believes that she has what it takes to compete against them. “We’re pushing the boundaries and saying, ‘Hey, you don’t have to be 16.’” Her love for the sport makes it almost impossible to stay away from the floor even with an injured ankle. Douglas will instead help young talents hone their skills while she heals. 

We might have missed out on watching the elite gymnast make a triumphant return. But as she licks her wounds, she isn’t letting LA 2028 leave her sights. Will we watch Gabby Douglas gallantly perform her way to the podium? We will just have to wait and watch! Until then, stay tuned.