X

Gabby Douglas Qualifies for US Championships in Gymnastics Return at American Classic

Paul KasabianFeatured Columnist IIApril 27, 2024

SANTA MONICA, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 02:  Olympic gymnast Gabby Douglas teaches Jay Pharoah gymnastics on the IMDb Series “Special Skills” in Los Angeles, California.  This episode of “Special Skills” airs on March 10, 2020. (Photo by Rich Polk/Getty Images for IMDb)
Rich Polk/Getty Images for IMDb

Three-time Olympic gold medalist Gabby Douglas returned to competitive gymnastics after eight years away from the sport and managed to qualify for the U.S. Championships in the vault and the beam events thanks to her performances at Saturday's American Classic.

Douglas finished 10th out of 26 gymnasts in the all-around (50.65 overall). She took second in the vault, tied for fifth in the beam, 19th in the floor and 20th in the bars.

Her vault and beam results were good enough to qualify for nationals, which will take place from May 30 to June 2 in Fort Worth, Texas. Per Kaetlyn Liddy of NBC News, Douglas will have to file a petition to complete in the floor and bars competitions.

Nationals precede the Olympic trials in June, which then lead to the Paris Summer Olympics in July and August.

In 2012, Douglas won all-around and team Olympic gold at the Summer Games in London. She took gold again in the team competition in 2016 in Rio de Janeiro.

Douglas then stepped away from the sport but never officially retired.

"I never announced a retirement," Douglas told NBC News in February. "I didn't want to end this sport like I did in 2016. I wanted to take a step back and work on myself and my mental state."

If Douglas makes the Olympic team, she would become the first American woman gymnast to compete in three Summer Games since Dominique Dawes (1992, 1996, 2000), per Liddy.