Gabby Douglas, the 2012 Olympic all-around gymnastics champion, will return to competition for the first time in nearly eight years at the Winter Cup in Louisville, Kentucky, on February 24.
Douglas, 28, who made the announcement on NBC News NOW on Tuesday, was a teenager when she competed in London and became the first black woman to win the Olympic title. She hasn't competed since she helped the United States win team gold at the 2016 Olympics.
The three-time Olympic gold medalist took an extended sabbatical after the Rio de Janeiro Games, but returned to training in 2022 and announced last summer that she would try to make the 2024 Olympic team.
“I never announced my retirement,” Douglas told NBC. “I didn't want to finish this sport like I did in 2016. I wanted to take a step back and work on myself and my mental state.”
Douglas joins a crowded and decorated field in hopes of making the five-woman Olympic team, including Olympic champions Simone Biles (2016) and Sunisa Lee (2020). Biles returned to competition last summer after a two-year hiatus and won her record sixth world title last fall.
Douglas said he is “definitely” aiming for Paris, but added that he is taking things day by day.
The Winter Cup is the first major meet of the year in the United States, with the Games coming up in late July. Douglas has shared some of his journey on his social media channels, including an extended look at his work on the uneven bars, historically his strongest event.
“Honestly, I love going to the gym and getting my skills back,” Douglas said. “It's very exciting.”
