Gabby Douglas, an Olympic gold medal-winning gymnast, is planning a comeback for the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Driving the news: Douglas announced on Instagram that she wants to compete again at the Olympics in 2024.
* Douglas first gained fame at the 2012 London Olympics as the first African-American gymnast to win Olympic gold in the individual all-around.
* She clarified that she wants to find joy again in a sport she still loves.
* Douglas mentions a potential return as a “huge task” as she will be 28 by the time of Paris Olympics which usually have been dominated by teenagers.
Against the odds: To compete in Paris, Douglas has to perform exceptionally as Olympic gymnastics have been traditionally dominated by teenagers.
* The last time a female gymnast over 20 won gold in the all-around event was in 1972.
* She may find inspiration from Oksana Chusovitina who, at 46, set a record as the oldest Olympic gymnast at Tokyo Olympics in 2021.
Their Journey: Both Gabby Douglas and Simone Biles have been a source of inspiration despite enduring sexual abuse by former USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar.
* They, along with their teammates, have openly spoken about the resulting mental health struggles.
Encouragement from the team: Douglas’s comeback announcement has been warmly received by her former teammates.
* Her former teammates, including McKayla Maroney, expressed their support on social media.
This summary was created by an AI system. The use of this summary is subject to our Terms of Service.
Leave a Reply