Olympic gold medalist Gabby Douglas was 16 when she turned in a historic performance in London. Now she wants to return, eyeing the 2024 Paris Olympics. Douglas is seen here in 2020.
Rich Polk / Getty Images for IMDb
When Gabby Douglas took the London Olympics by storm in 2012, she noted that an elite gymnast’s career usually spans two Olympics. But now Douglas wants to upend those norms, and vie for a spot at the Olympics in 2024.
Douglas announced her plan via Instagram, saying she wants to find the joy again in a sport that she still loves, and compete in Paris.
"There's so much to be said but for now," she wrote as she posted images of herself soaring above a balance beam, "let's do this."
Teenagers have dominated Olympic gymnastics
Douglas was just 16 when she made history in London as the first African-American gymnast to win Olympic gold in the individual all-around. After that feat, she told NPR that her goal was to compete in just one more Olympics, in Rio.
To compete in Paris, Douglas will have to swim against a strong tide — for years, Olympic gymnastics has been dominated by teenagers. The last time a female gymnast over age 20 won gold in the landmark all-around event was in 1972.
Douglas acknowledged that a comeback at her age – she will be 28 when the Paris Summer Olympics begin – will be "a huge task." But she also said she's excited to get back to work.
It was Douglas' work ethic and ethereal talent that propelled her to international fame in 2012, when she anchored the U.S. squad in securing the team gold and then surpassed everyone to claim gold in the individual all-around event, winning fans with her grace, power, and brilliant smile.
Team USA could see a glut of elite talent
At the London Games, Douglas's teammates included Aly Raisman, McKayla Maroney, Jordyn Wieber, and Kyla Ross. In Rio, Douglas watched as Simone Biles emerged as an all-time great. Now both of them are vying to defy the odds and return to the top of their sport, as Biles announced her own comeback last month.
To punch their tickets to France, they'll have to perform well against stiff competition within the U.S. ranks. Other Paris hopefuls include reigning Olympic all-around champion Sunisa Lee and her fellow medalists Jordan Chiles and Jade Carey, along with Konnor McClain, the 2022 U.S. all-around champ, and Shilese Jones — who, like Douglas, excels on the uneven bars.
But age, as they say, is just a number. If Douglas and Biles want inspiration, they could look to Oksana Chusovitina — who at 46 set a record as the oldest Olympic gymnast in history when she competed at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.
Douglas's former teammates are cheering her on
Biles and Douglas are part of a generation of exceptional gymnasts whose careers were marked by gravity-defying performances, even as their lives were thrown off-kilter by sexual abuse perpetrated by former USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar. Many of them, including Douglas and Biles, have spoken out about the continuing mental health struggles they face.
Douglas announced her comeback after taking a prolonged break from social media, a time she says she used for deep reflection. In the end, she said, she "found myself back where it all began."
The positive responses to Douglas' comeback news include comments from her former teammates, saying they're pulling for her.
"Amen girl. Let's go," Maroney wrote. "Cheering you on for life."
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