A whole drama underwent this season as Gabby Douglas made her gymnastics comeback after eight long years. Time is of the essence for the three-time Olympic gold medalist, striving to make her third Olympic team at the age of 28. Despite rigorous training, Douglas failed to outshine at two mileposts this season while training at the World Olympic Gymnastics Academy (WOGA) in Plano.

At WOGA, Valeri Liukin, a 1988 Soviet Olympic medalist, and longtime coordinator of the USA Gymnastics women’s national team coached her along with his wife Anna Liukin. Despite falling short in her Olympic season debut at the 2024 American Classic, is Douglas changing anything to unleash her full potential to face the most competitive cohort of women the sport has ever produced in the United States?

Gabby Douglas takes charge, reunites with veteran coach

Gabby Douglas undoubtedly inspired today’s generation of gymnasts she’ll be facing on the mats today. But who is she being bettered by after staying away from the gymnastics floor for so long? The 2012 Olympic all-around champion’s Paris dream was first confirmed by coach Valeri Liukin last February, followed by Douglas on Instagram in July.

Though, on February 27, Anna Liukin admitted that Douglas was no longer training at their Dallas gymnastics facility. For context, Valeri is also the father of Nastia Liukin, the 2008 Olympic all-around champion who has five Olympic and nine World medals to her name. Douglas remained unconnected to any training facility for some time until March 7 reported Olympics.com.

When things did not go as planned at the American Classic after missing this year’s Winter Cup due to a positive COVID test, Douglas returned to WOGA Gymnastics. Regardless of a fall on the floor and two falls on the uneven bars, the gymnast met the three-score requirement to make it to the Xfinity U.S. Championships.

Just three weeks back, Douglas finished 10th in the all-around, confirming that her return at the American Classic in Katy was sincere. Her performance in Hartford on May 19th will provide an even better picture of her prospects of making her third Olympic team, a feat no American woman has done since Dominique Dawes in 2000. Simone Biles, Douglas’ teammate at the 2016 Rio Olympics is also hoping to make her third Olympic team. Until the gymnastics royalties compete today, here’s a more detailed peek into the gymnastics coaches of Gabby Douglas.

Previous coach and behind the scenes of gymnastics practice at WOGA

Gabby Douglas was nine years old when she dreamed of Olympic greatness. At 14, she left her family in Virginia to train with Liang Chow in Iowa. Her hard work paid off just two years later when she won the team world championship in 2011. However, the journey was not smooth sailing.

Douglas left Liang Chow’s gym in West Des Moines, Iowa, to reunite with her family after they relocated from Virginia Beach to California in August 2013. Later, she trained at Buckeye Gymnastics in her hometown, where Christian Gallardo and Kittia Carpenter taught her for more than two years. Douglas stunned fans on the opening day of the Rio Olympic trials by arriving on the floor alongside Buckeye Gymnastics’ Christian Gallardo.

Anna and Valeri Liukin, have been coaching Douglas since 2022. Douglas performed Lin-Ling-Jaeger combinations, followed by repeating acro (her front tuck being as powerful as ever) and leap series training on the beam. It was evident that her comeback was rightfully anticipated.

Paris Olympics is 69 days away, and Douglas’ time to execute her magic and make her third Olympic appearance is running short. Today, the US Gymnastics will witness a historic showdown of three Olympic all-around champions, Suni Lee, Simone Biles, and Gabby Douglas compete in the 2024 Core Hydration Classic.